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>> please welcome congressman robert wexler. [cheers and applause] >> thank you, florida. four years ago, i stood at the convention podium in denver, of burning -- of birmingham barack obama'commitmentss to the state of israel. over the past four years, the president has proven that commitment time and again in word and deed. his unflinching commitment to israel's future as the jewish state. to say that israel's qualitative

military edge advantage, but president has increased security assistance to israel to record levels, more than any other president. when he visited in 2008, an israeli towns along the gaza border besieged by constant rocket attacks, president obama sopa himself the terrible toll terrorism takes on israelis. that is why he secure the funds to deploy the iron dome and the rockford defense system which has already saved countless israeli lives, and under president obama, the u.s. and israel are firmly committed to stopping one of that gravest threats to international security, iran pose the quest for nuclear weapons. quest for nuclear

weapons. he has specifically stated that an iranian nuclear weapon is unacceptable and he will employ u.s. power, economic, intelligence, and military, to prevent, not contain, a nuclear iran. did to the president's strong leadership, iran is more isolated than ever. he has marshaled the international community to oppose the most crippling sanctions in his st. -- to impose the most crippling sanctions in history. iran's's oil exports have plummeted, and its currency value has been slashed in half. not only has it stood up to iran, president obama has also bravely stood up for israel in the international community. when the anti-israel report was released, questioning israel's

right to self-defense, president obama challenged it did when the wind held the israel bashing bourbon conference, president obama led an international -- durbin conference, president obama led an international resistance against it. it was president obama who intervened to ensure the safety of the israelis trapped inside. in the wake of the gaza flotilla, president obama's support for israel never waned. opponentsresident's have been busy distorting his record. last week, mitt romney claimed that the president's has thrown israel under the bus. perhaps mr. romney should listen to those who know best. israel's leaders did listen to prime minister benjamin

netanyahu, thanks president obama for unprecedented security cooperation, and for wearing his support for the jewish state as a badge of honor. listen to defense minister ehud barak, who has repeatedly declared that president obama has done more for is rated security than any u.s. president began remember -- has done more for israeli security than any u.s. president he can remember picket listen to shimon peres, who recently said mr. president, you have pledged a lasting friendship for israel. you stated that israel's security is sacrosanct for you, so you pledged, so you act, so you were acting as a great leader, as a genuine friend. now is the time, now is the time to continue the strong u.s.-

israel relationship. now is the time to stand with israel as it works toward peace and security, toward two states, a secure israel, living side-by- side with an independent, non militarized palestinian state. now is the time to support israel as a thriving, democratic, and secure homeland for the jewish people, by reelecting barack obama as president of the united states. thank you very much. ♪ >> please welcome the mayor of minneapolis, minn.. >> hello, minnesota.

[applause] >> it is cold, we have to cheer about something, right? it was a cold, december morning four and a half years ago we told -- we pulled our rental of college students into iowa. we went door to door, for a guy named barack obama. almost nobody in town had ever heard of him. they asked some pretty tough questions. would he stand up for the middle-class? for people like them, not just for those at the very top. they asked us, would he get us out of this mess at -- in iraq? and did he have the guts to take on the insurance companies and

reform health care? conversations like this were taking place all over iowa. iowans know the real bill when you see it. they took the measure of this man. they looked him in the eye and you sent him on to be president of the united states. thank you, iowa, for that. a lot has happened since then, and we still have a long, long way to go, but today we can go back to buffalo center and towns across america and say that in the toughest times, this president delivered for the middle class. he walked into a washington that was paralyzed, after the greatest economic catastrophe since the great depression, he took over. the auto industry was on the brink of collapse. he faced two wars. bin laden was at large and so much more. he delivered a recovery act that is one of the reasons we had 29

straight month the private sector job growth. he put four hundred thousand teachers and education workers in our schools and thousands of police officers and firefighters on the streets of our cities. he ignored the skeptics like mitt romney and took bold action to save the auto industry. romney was wrong, obama was right. 1 million more people work in the auto industry today. romney was wrong, obama was right. he added years to medicare's life by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, while preserving services for seniors. he got us out of iraq. he got bin laden. there are thousands were college students who can pay for school because our president cut the middle men, college loans. college graduates have one less

bill tuesday -- to pay because they can stay on their parents' health care until they are 26. in denver, hundreds more are working on the commuter lines. in minneapolis, where we know that -- the human tragedy of a bridge collapsing, thank you, president obama corp. for delivering the resources to rielle up -- to rebuild the camden bridge. thank you, president obama. now president obama did all this and much, much more, in spite of the republican party that said its number one goal was it not to solve any of these problems. they said their number one goal was to stop barack obama. think about this, ladies and gentlemen. in the middle of one of the greatest crises in american history, they bet on their hands and -- sat on their hands and play politics.

but i was raised republican. i don't recognize the once proud party that has been hijacked by extremists. they spend eight years creating a colossal mess and the last four billing almost nothing, except trying to blame it on president obama. pyromaniac set should not blame the firefighters. now mitt romney wants to go back to the bad old days that got us into this mess. he has given everything that creates opportunity for the middle class up just to pay for those massive tax breaks for those who are already very comfortable. his message is clear creek in tough times, you are on your own. now president obama knows something different. he knows that america became great because in tough times, we come together. my pioneer relatives did not

crossed the plains along. they did it in a wagon train. my immigrant relatives this settled in minnesota needed the farmers and farmers needed them. there were native people who survive the incredibly harsh winters in minnesota because they hunted together. they cut ticket -- they cooked together. when it snows in minnesota all over town, people look in on their elderly neighbors and shovel their blocks. when my dad died and left my mom with three kids and a drugstore in the inner city, she picked up the pieces, and i owe everything to her. my mom would be the first to tell you she was not alone. we were surrounded by a committee of support. in tough times, we come together. it is the most basic american value. it is the value that built the midwest. president obama learned that value for my camden family, and that is why he believes in an

america where women get equal pay for equal work. in the words of hubert humphrey, everyone can walk out of the shadows and into the bright light of equal rights, where you can serve the country love without hiding who you love, and where in the country of the statue of liberty, every child can live the american dream. we come together in tough times. back on that cold day in buffalo center, i was so incredibly proud to support a man named barack obama. i am not so much more proud today. back then i hope he would be a great leader, and today i know it. they try to stop barack obama, but they couldn't, because they underestimated president obama, and more importantly, they underestimated you. president obama has earned every gray hair on his head, fighting for the middle class and every

american. now it is time to stand up, america, and fight for this man as hard as he has bought for you. if he did that, we have come a long way, but the best is yet to come. let's go get them. [cheers and applause] >> please welcome the colorado congressman. >> my great grandparents were immigrants to this country. i am jewish, i am gay, i am a father, i am a son, and on to ignore, as a congressman from the great state of colorado. -- an entrepreneur, but first and foremost, i am an american. the america i believe in is the

america that barack obama agreed -- believes in. an america where if you played other rules and work hard, you can get ahead and succeed and lived american dream. one in which loving families of all forms are celebrated and respected as the backbone of society. one in which today's division becomes tomorrow's unity, in which we transcend partisan bickering and work together to forge a better future for ourselves and our families. diversity is america's strength, and only by working together as one nation can we form a more perfect union. that is why president obama brought to washington a vision for one america, and america in which we could overcome divisions of red and blue to make our country better. it is why he is fighting to make citizenship or reality for young immigrants to go to college and serving our military.

it is why he repealed "don't ask, don't tell" so that no person is prevented from serving the country they love because of who they love. it is y barack obama became the first sitting president in american history to show his personal support for same sex marriage. consistently over the last four years, as our nation has struggled through the worst depression -- recession since the great depression, barack obama has shown strong leadership and he has taken on problems as usual. he has challenged our nation to come together. he is the first presidential candidate to refuse contributions from lobbyists. he has had a strict ethics rules in the history of the executive branch. his vision is for one america that can overcome divisions and become one america.

ladies and gentlemen, now is our chance to tell the dividers no, to tell the special interests and cynical washington insiders no, to tell the lobbyists and pacs no, and to tell our fellow countrymen, gay and straight, christians, muslims, jews, rich and poor, black and white, latino and asian, east and west, north and south, it is time to tell them yes. together we are stronger. together we are better. together we are america. that is why we must continue bringing america together. tonight, i don't just ask my fellow americans to respect our relationship with my partner and my role as a father to our son. i also ask my fellow americans to respect a christian family

concerned about decaying moral values and crass commercialism. i asked my fellow americans to respect the very difficult decision of a very single mother to bring a child into this world because of her heartfelt beliefs. that is why you must help that courageous mother have the support she needs after her child is born. we celebrate americans of all backgrounds and beliefs, even republicans, because it is their future, too. republicans might have lost their desire to heal the planet, but we will create jobs and improve our schools for republicans, too. we are the first country, but we are one country, and we are at our best when come together as americans, not despite our differences, but in celebration of them. from our newest arrivals to our native american brothers and sisters, we are one america.

barack obama understands that together, we can take on any challenge, and together, we can move our country forward. out of many, we are 1. god bless america. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> there has been a bit of talk about women and women's issues so far this year. i think it has been oversimplified. women are not an interest group. women should not be treated that way. women are half this country and half its work force. instead of putting forward serious plans to help more americans back to work, a lot of

those folks in the other party have chosen to read fight battles we settled long ago. -- to refight battles we settled long ago. it is like being in a time machine. republicans are going so far as to say an employer should be able have a say in the health care decisions of its female employees. the days of male politicians controlling health-care decisions of our wives and our mothers and daughters and sisters needs to come to an end. the choice between going backward and moving forward have never been so clear. as long as i am president, we will keep moving forward. you can count on that. [applause] >> please welcome maria fiano

from westminster, colorado. >> i grew up in a conservative, republican family in of aurora, colorado. many of my relatives cannot believe i am doing this. i guess i cannot, either. i still believe in small government, but i no longer believe in the republican party. mitt romney and paul ryan want the government to have a say in my family planning. that what employers to decide what kind of birth control coverage i have, or if i can have it at all. they want to put insurance companies in charge of my health care. they want to deny me the power to make the most personal decisions about my life.

that is not small government. that is not the america i love. the america i love respect the dignity of women. the america i love is a place where, when we say freedom, we mean by freedom, to make decisions about my life, not someone else's freedom to make them for me. that is the america president obama is fighting for. when women's rights are threatened, president obama does not hide, he stands up, not just for women, but with women. apple find our voices and defending our rights. give him four more years -- amplifying our voices and

defending our rights. our right to make our own, personal decisions will be safe for another generation. give him four more years, and he will protect the freedoms in the america we all loved. thank you. ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the president of naral, nan.y kee and >> hello, delegates. on behalf of naral pro-choice america and our 1 million member activists, i am honored to be

here to talk to you about what is at stake for women in 2012. i am proud to say that the democratic party believes that women have the right to choose a safe, legal abortion, with dignity and with privacy. [applause] we believe in family planning, because it helps to prevent unintended pregnancy. we believe that a woman considering an abortion should not be forced to have an ultrasound against her will. we believe that rape is rape.

we believe that a woman should make health-care decisions with her family, her doctor, and her god. and we believe that there is no room for politicians, especially those politicians who don't know .ow women's bodies werork we are proud, we are so proud to have a president who stands with women and who trusts women. a president who signed into law one of the greatest advancements

for women's health and a generation, a president who believes in a woman's right to make her own decisions. i know this president, and i can tell you that he cares deeply about the next generation of young women in this country. his daughters, all of our daughters, obama had the courage to stand with sandra fluke. without hesitation, he defended her right to tell her story. mitt romney did not. that moment illustrates what is

at stake in this election. put simply, women in america cannot trust mitt romney. we cannot trust mitt romney to protect our health. he would repeal obamacare, taking away all or access to maternity and prenatal care, can andy law's near universal card of birth control. we cannot trust mitt romney to respect our rights. he would overturn roe versus wade and signed into law a wave of outrage is restrictions on a woman's ability to make decisions about her pregnancy -- a wave of outrageous

restrictions. mitt romney would take away our power to make decisions about our lives and our future. but there is one decision that he cannot take away, and that is the one women will make on november 6. [cheers and applause] i want to leave you with the story tonight. one that serves as my inspiration. i grew up in anaconda, montana. it is in the heart of the state 's mining country. my dad worked at the copper smelters. it was a tough and dangerous place where copper would boil at 1200 degrees.

workers like my dad would throw their number in bucket as they arrived for their shift, and at the end of the day, they would hang it on a pegboard so their bodies would know they made it out safely. -- so there buddies would know they may get out safely. every day my dad threw that in the bucket, he did for his family, he did for his co- workers, he did it for his community, he did for his country. he passed away when i was in my 20's, before i decided to run for public office. with methat brass paieg through every campaign in montana. this number symbolizes the value of hard work and opportunity, and the importance of sticking

together. we are ready to do the hard work. we are ready to work together. we are ready to reelect president barack obama. [cheers and applause] we must do it, because women deserve to make their own choices, and deserve to determine the course of their own lives. don'tot to tell you, assume that every voter knows what barack obama has done for the women in this country. and don't assume that they know the truth about mitt romney. tonight, i am asking you to talk with your friends, your neighbors, your relatives, even

the ones you have never talked to about reproductive rights. that is how you can throw your peg into the bucket, and stand with a president that has stood with us. conversational conversation, vote by vote, door by door, we will reelect president barack obama. i will see on the campaign trail. thank you very much. [cheers and applause]

>> service is important to me because my fate as a christian calls for us to serve others begin my faith as a christian. in the military, there was a feeling that this is what is right. >> my name is nathan davis. i spent four years in the marine corps, 11 months in iraq. it has become my purpose in life to do everything i can to give veterans the same opportunities that i was blessed with the, to become self- reliant. i help veterans access their post 9/11 g.i. bill, to enroll in school. i have met with hundreds of veterans over the past two years to have been positively affected by president obama's policies. the record increase to be a funding, the expansion of the

post 9/11 g.i. bill, you can see the progress, how many veterans are getting degrees, how many veterans are getting jobs right now. soldiers who are leaving the military, today they know when they step out of that plane that they have a parachute to make a safe landing at home. never in my life have i seen a president show so much commitment and compassion for us as president obama. >> please welcome nate davis from cincinnati, ohio. [cheers and applause] >> i am not here tonight as a democrat or other republican. but as a man of christian

faith, proud of the progress this president has made. if you are from ohio, you know neil armstrong grew up in our state. when he passed away, i was thinking about what he said, about how every step can also be a giant leap. that is how i feel about what this president is doing. with every step, he has had a huge impact on veterans. not only did he get us what we needed overseas, he has been there for us at home. he has helped us get jobs, stood strong for military families, and for me, the most important step was a post -- the post-9/11 g.i. bill. i was able to attend an amazing university, xavier university in

cincinnati, ohio. while i was there, i got to intern with the ohio senator is sheriff brown. now i have a job as -- of senator sherrod brown. a carat thousand veterans have gone back to school on the new gi bill, all that barack obama check in the senate and expanded as president. earned it.all turned i last year, a guy tell me thanks to the gi bill, he had a chance to go to college. he had always told his daughter how important education laws, but now he was showing them with his example. now he is happy to sit at the kitchen table and do his homework, right next to his two daughters. so thank you, president obama.

and to all the veterans out there, even if you are having a hard time, don't give up. i believe in god, and keep going forward. thank you. god bless you. >> delegates and guests, please welcome lieutenant-colonel tammy duckworth, can lead for the eighth congressional district. >> hello, everyone. i am running to serve illinois

eighth congressional district. my father served in the army and marine corps. a vietnam vet, his family has warned our nation's uniform since the american revolution. my husband is an army officer and my brother saves lives in the coast guard. my mom is thai and chinese, and she proudly became a citizen in her 50's. work took us all over the world, until he lost his job. it was a tough time. we used up our savings, moved into a studio apartment, but our family did the responsible thing and we rolled up our sleeves. mom took in sewing. my 55-year-old dad kept looking

for work, but at 15 years old, i was the only one with the job, after school, for minimum wage. thank god for the food stamps, public education, and pell grants that helped me finish high school and college. in time, we pulled it through. with the start, i was able to earn my own commission as an army officer, and i became an assault helicopter pilot, working my way up to command a black hawk helicopter company. in 2003, my national guard unit was mobilized, and i became one of the first army women to fly combat missions in iraq. [applause] almost a year into my tour, i

was wounded, and recovered at walter reed with other wounded warriors. some of us had obvious injuries. others have scars on the inside that were less visible, but no less real. at the hospital, i realized my new responsibility to honor the buddies who saved me it by serving our military men and women. i became the director of the illinois department of veterans affairs. we led the nation in screening for traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress, and we created a tax credit for illinois' businesses that hire veterans. then, president obama asked me to help keep our sacred trust with veterans of all eras at the u.s. department of veterans affairs. we worked to in the outrage of

veterans having to sleep on the same streets they once defended. we improved services for female veterans, and i reached out to young bets by creating the office of on-line communications. barack obama has also lived up to his responsibilities as commander-in-chief, ending the war in iraq, refocusing on afghanistan, and eradicating terrorists, including bin laden. obama pushed for fairness in the military, listening to commanders as we ended "don't ask, don't tell", and on how to allow women to officially served in more combat jobs. don't you think it is time that we stopped being surprised that america's daughters are just as

capable of doing their jobs of defending liberty as her son's? with comes to our men and women in harm's way, we have a clear choice on november 6. last week, mitt romney had a chance to show his support for the brave men and women he is seeking to command. but he chose to criticize president obama instead of even uttering the word afghanistan. barack obama will never ignore his troops. he will fight for them. that is why he is my choice on november 6. my choice is to do what my family did when times were hard. roll up our sleeves and get to work. my choice is to do what my crew did for me in a dusty field in iraq. on november 12, 2004, i was co-

pilot and my black hall north of baghdad when we started taking in the fire. a rocket-propelled grenade hit our helicopter, exploding in my lap, ripping off one leg, crushing the other, and tearing my right are a part, but i kept trying to fly until i passed out. in that moment, my survival, and the survival of my entire crew, depended on all of us pulling together. even though they were wounded themselves, and insurgents were nearby, they simply refused to leave a fallen comrade behind. their heroism is why i am alive today, and ultimately, that is what this election is about. yes, it is about the issues that

matter to me. building an economy that will create jobs here at home, that will out compete countries around the world, but is all about something else. it is about whether we do for our fellow americans what my crew did for me, whether we look out for the hardest hit and the disabled, whether we pulled together in a time of need, whether we refuse to give up until the job is done. so let's finish what we started. let's keep moving forward with barack obama. let's do what this country has always done, look adversity in the eye and work together to overcome it. god bless our military men and women who are in harm's way today. god bless our families, and

always, god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] >> please welcome governor lincoln chafee from rhode island. >> good evening, and thank you for having me here to celebrate with all of you. as the nation's only independent governor, i am here tonight to join with my democratic friends,

on the eve of an election critical to the future of our children and their country. as a former republican, i represent a group of americans who, all too often, have no one to speak for them. this group doesn't necessarily have a name. we have been called moderates, but that term can be misleading. there is nothing moderate about our love of country or our passion for america's pitcher. there is nothing moderate about our desire to work together within the broad political center in which most americans live. no matter what you call us, though, this is certain. there are a lot of us, and all over the country, and in november, we will once again help elect barack obama president of the united states.

we are at our core conservative, in the best sense of the word. thoughtful, responsible with public resources, and respectful of personal freedoms. we are liberal, in the best sense of the word. we believe that government can and should be an instrument for the greater good. and although my former party has hijacked the term, there's really nothing conservative about today's republican party. in fact, there is no room there for traditional conservatives like us. but i am proud to say that in my friend, president barack obama, we have found a champion for the principles we hold dear. [applause] first, we love this land, literally. we believe in environmental

stewardship, protecting our air and our water. because despite what big business and this republican party would have you believe, destroying these precious resources will cost us far more in the future than preserving them now. san, we believe in personal freedom. we do not want the government controlling our personal lives or are most personal decisions. believing in freedom as we do, we don't think it is the role of government to pass judgment on a relationship between two consenting adults, regardless of their orientation. and believing in freedom, we believe loman should make her own reproductive decisions. -- we believe a woman should make her own reproductive decisions. third, we take seriously the decision to enter into foreign

entanglements. during the last administration, then senator obama and i served together on the foreign relations committee. there we share a mutual desire to end the prevailing attitude of arrogance and recklessness on matters of war and peace that characterized those years. president obama knows that wars are not to be entered into lightly. he knows that oversees conflicts not only do damage in the land in which they are false, but in the land of those who fight them as well. fourth, we believe in using the tools of government to help americans help themselves. for instance, programs such as head start and held grants have brightened the futures of countless american young people and given them and hand up into the middle class. now, mitt romney and the republicans are proposing a budget that would squeeze the life out of headstart and pell

grants. let me ask you, should only the children of the wealthy have access to early education? should only the children of the wealthy have access to a college degree? no, the absent -- the answer is absolutely no. american education is still the wonder of the world, and we must open the schoolhouse doors, not close them. a strong, educated middle class is what made america at the greatest country in the world. stevens of america, working families of america, president obama will not turn his back on you. finally, we believe in fiscal responsibility. we think is a reasonable to pay for a valuable service that the people want, by asking everyone to do their part. the lack of fiscal responsibility is one of the

main reasons i finally left my old party. [applause] that's right. in 2001, president bill clinton handed the republicans a surplus, and then went on to squander that surplus by launching two wars, expanding medicare, and giving tax cut to the wealthiest americans, and failing to pay for any of these. mitt romney and paul ryan want to return to the fantasy land of never having to pay for things we buy, such as education, medical research, good roads, and clean energy. that is not conservative. that is not responsible, and that is not what this country needs. [applause] the values i have spoken up tonight are not republican or democratic values. they are american values. they are the values of abraham lincoln, who affirmed the fundamental dignity of all

americans, regardless of the color of their skin. they are the values of theater roosevelt, who protected millions of acres from development and exploitation. so future americans, to date americans, could enjoy them as fully as he did. these are the values of dwight eisenhower, who presided over an era of peace and prosperity, because he knew that those two conditions get together. these are american values, but because they have no place in today's republican party, neither do i., and neither do millions like me. but my fellow traditional conservatives, my fellow moderate, my fellow independencts, there is a candidate whose shares are believed and environmental protection, personal liberties, smart and responsible american

leadership, growing the middle- class, and fiscal discipline. that candidate is our president, barack obama. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> my name is daisy lynn. i am from the knees, arizona, and the portable care act is setting my daughter's life. the doctors tell us there's a set of three open heart surgery is required for her to survive. her first surgery took place at 15 hours old. the second took place at 4 months old, and she is awaiting her third and final surgery so

that her heart works for her entire body. before the board will carry, health insurance companies were allowed to set lifetime caps on how much coverage each individual was provided. by six months of age, she was halfway to her lifetime cap. here is ensured you have been paying for for the past 20 years, but don't have a child that is born with a heart defect, because once you reach a certain level, we will not insure that anymore. thankfully, in march 2010, the affordable care act was passed. i remember getting a letter from our insurance company telling us that there are no more lifetime caps. it was a huge relief for us to know that we did not have to worry about that. she has made us live a little bigger and brighter every day, so we don't take anything for granted. my family needs president obama to be reelected, because we need

the affordable care act to stay intact. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome stacy lihn and her family from phoenix, arizona. >> governor romney says people like me are the most excited about obama, but that is not true, not even close. for me, there was the day the affordable care act passed, and i no longer had to worry about getting zoey the care she needed. there was the day the letter arrived from the insurance company, saying that our daughters lifetime cap had been lifted. there was the day the supreme court upheld obamacare.

[cheers and applause] i can breathe easier, knowing we have that net below us to catch us if we fall, or if, god forbid, zoey needs a heart transplant. obamacare provides my family security and relief. but we are also scared. governor romney repealing health care reform is something we worry about, literally, every single day. surgeryhird open heart will happen in the next year or the year after. if mitt romney becomes president and obamacare is repealed, there is a good chance she will hit her lifetime cap. there is no way we can afford to pay for all the care she needs to survive.

when you have a sick child, it is always in the back of your mind, and sometimes in the front of your mind. on top of that, worrying that people would let an insurance company take away her health care just because of politics. one in 100 children are born with congenital heart defect. president obama is fighting for them. [applause] he is fighting for families like mine, and we need to fight for him. [applause]

>> four more years! four more years! >> please welcome ohio governor ted strickland. >> hello, i am ted strickland and i come from ohio. let me tell you, folks in ohio know what happens when you have a president stands up for every -- 4 average, working people. a grandmother lost her ability

to provide for family when they closed down the auto plant. she says thanks to barack obama for having the courage to back an industry that others had given up on. she is an autoworker and the breadwinner once again. as he celebrated the birth of his newborn baby boy, bryan lost his job at the moment he needed it most, but today he is back making auto batteries in a factory in springfield township, ohio. and he says there is only one reason that he has a steady paycheck again. morocco, refused to let the american auto industry die -- barack obama refused to let the american auto industry die. james mason felt like there was no tomorrow when he was laid off. i believe in working every day,

he said. and that was taken from me. but today, james is working 60 hours a week on the jeep liberty line in toledo, ohio. he is thrilled to say that his life right now is the, sleep, and jeep. he is back, he said, because barack obama gave us a chance for a comeback. the auto industry supports one out of their create jobs in ohio than it is alive and growing in america again. late last year, chrysler announced they were hiring 1100 new auto workers in toledo. just last month, gm announced plans to invest two hundred

million dollars in lordstown, keeping 5000 jobs in ohio and building the next generation of the chevy crews, a car we are proud to say is made entirely in ohio. [applause] and just today, the big three auto makers all announced that their auto sales are up by double digits since last year. it has been a long lsog back, -- long slog back, and we still have a long way to go. but men and women are back to work who are proud to make something stamp with "made in

america appear " it looked like that -- "made in america of." the nation has had 29 straight months of job growth. workers across my state and across the country are getting back to work, the dignity of having a good job and a good salary. you know, vince lombardi was right when he said, "it's not whether you get knocked down, it is whether you get back up." my friends were all knocked down, but brian, ina and james are all standing today. the auto industry is standing today.

the middle class is standing today. ohio is standing today. america is standing strong today. [cheers and applause] what happens when you have a president who stands up for average working people. barack obama has stood up for us and now, by god, we will stand up for him! [cheers and applause] quite frankly, barack obama knows what it is like to pay a mortgage and student loans. and he knows what it is like to watch a beloved family member in a medical crisis and worry that the treatment may be out of reach. barack obama knows our struggles and, my friends, he shares our values. [applause]

now mitt romney lives by a different code. to him, american workers are just numbers on a spreadsheet. to him, all profits are created equal, whether made on our shores off all or off -- on our shores or off. that is why he was named outsourcing pioneers. our country was not made by pioneers seeking offshore profits at the expense of american workers here at home. mitt romney proudly wrote an op- ed entitled "let detroit goalie bankrupt -- "let detroit go bankrupt." if he had had his way,

devastation would have cascaded from ohio and across the nation. mitt romney never saw the point of building something when he could profit by tearing it down. if mitt was santa claus, he would fire the rain gear and outsource the elves. [applause] mitt has so little economic patriotism that even his money needs a passport. it summers on the beaches of the cayman islands and winters on the slopes of the swiss alps. [applause] in matthew 6:21, the scriptures teach us that where your

treasury is, there will your heart be also. and my friends, any man who aspires to be our president should keep both his treasure and his heart in the united states of america. [cheers and applause] is well pastow, it wa time for -- the welfare to work, he is lying, as simple as that. and on his tax return, he is hiding. you know, you have to wondered

just what is so embarrassing that he is going to such great lengths to bury the truth. but whatever he is doing to avoid taxes, can it possibly be worse than the ryan scrawny tax plan that will suit -- ryan-rom ney tax plan that will slice its to less than half of 1%. there is truth in this election. barack obama is betting on the american worker. mitt romney is betting on a bermuda shell corporation. barack a obama -- barack obama save the american auto industry. mitt romney saved on his taxes. barack obama is an economic

patriot. mitt romney his an outsourcing pioneer. my friends, the stakes are too high. the differences are to start to sit this one out. so let us stand as one on november 6 and move this country for word by reelecting a president barack obama. thank you. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the hon. kathleen sebelius. ♪

>> in 1965 to 1967, my dad, jack gilligan, serve in congress and helped pass landmark laws like the voting rights act. greatbecame another governor of ohio. but one of his proudest accomplishments was, as a congressman, he helped to draft and has medicare. today, that is 91 and he is a happy beneficiary of that effort to bring quality health care to every senior citizen. and president obama is building on that legacy by a bringing quality and secure health care to every american. i was governor of kansas when mitt romney was governor of massachusetts. many of us watched in amendment -- in amazement, and be even come as he passed a universal health care law in his state. many may see romneycare as a

scarlet letter. but for as democrats, obamacare is a badge of honor. [applause] no matter who you are, what stage of life you're in, this law is a good thing. first, if you already have insurance you like, you can keep it. insurance companies can no longer refuse to cover americans with pre-existing conditions. that is what change looks like. [applause] more than 5 million seniors have already saved money on their prescription drugs and almost 33 million have benefited from pre- preventive services. the president has cracked down hard on medicare and health care fraud, recovering a record- breaking $10.7 billion over the last three years, protecting our senior citizens. that it is would change looks like. [applause] this law gives tax credits to 360 small businesses so they can

give their employees health coverage and an array of affordable private insurance plans to choose from. that it is would change looks like. if you are self-employed, between jobs, or you can buy insurance through look, you have access to affordable health care insurance, as good as congressman paul ryan's. if you are under 26, you can stay on your parents' plan. you can go back to school or get extra training without the fear of a health catastrophe bankrupting your entire family. over 3 million previously uninsured young adults are now on their parents plans. that is what change looks like. under obamacare, a shirt -- insurance companies can no longer discriminate against women. before, some would not even cover women's most basic health care needs, like

contraception and maternity healthcare, but tries to us twice as much for the worse plan than men. anyone who had domestic violence were considered pre- existing conditions and would not cover them. but this president ended the practice of insurance companies charging women higher premiums than men for the same coverage. the president insures women's free access to preventative practices, like free screening been so being a mother is no longer a liability and being a woman is no longer a pre- existing condition. that it is would change looks like. [applause] today, nearly 13 million americans, including some of you

in this hall, are experiencing something remarkable. instead of sending your checks to your insurance companies, your insurance companies are sending a check to you over a billion dollars out of this year alone. if insurers do not spend at least 50% of your premium dollars on your health care, you get a refund. that is what change looks like. i spent my career fighting the worst practices of insurance companies. i know how tough it is to stand up to powerful forces that prey on consumers. governor romney and paul ryan know how tough it is, too. that is why they won't do it. they will let insurance companies continue to cherry pick who gets coverage and who gets left out, priced out, were locked out of the market. president obama is making sure that everyone, from cancer survivors to children with asthma, get the care they need what is missing from the romney-

ryan plan for medicare is medicare. [applause] instead of the medicare guarantee, republicans would give seniors a voucher that limits what's covered, costing seniors as much as $6,400 more a year. president obama extended the program's life by eight years while improving seniors benefits and strengthening the medicare guaranteed. the president agrees there should be no vouchers. [applause] romney and ryan will take away women's basic health services and turn a blind eye to insurance discrimination. president obama stand up for women, giving us control over our own health care. romney and ryan would put insurance companies back in control. barack obama was raised by kansas women. [applause]

i know kansas women. they taught him the values of hard work and responsibility and fairness. that is why president obama believes that come if you work hard and play by the rules, you deserve the security of health care. governor romney, congressman ryan and their republican colleagues say it is everyone for themselves. and that fundamentally is the choice in this election. between republicans who only fight for the favor if you are a president who fights for the middle class. -- for a favored few or a president who fights for the middle-class. 47 years ago, my dad proudly watched president johnson signed medicare into law. that day, president johnson said, "few people have the courage to state reputation and position in the effort of a lifetime on such a cause when there is so few that share rate

." president obama is one of those people, a leader with uncommon compassion and uncommon courage. he has earned more than our gratitude. he has earned four more years. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> please welcome chicago mayor ron emmanuel -- ranm emanuel. ♪ [applause] >> and good evening. from president obama's hometown of chicago -- [cheers] it is my honor to speak to you

about the president i served. i want to tell you what i saw up close. while serving a president in a time of crisis, about the values he leans on and the voices he listens to. when president obama enter the white house, the economy was in a freefall. the auto industry was on its back. the banks were frozen up. more than 4 million americans have already lost their jobs. and americans -- and america's bravest, our men and women in uniform, were fighting in what would soon be the longest war in our history. you remember the uncertainty. and the fear that seized our country. on the first day, i said, mr. president, which crisis do you want to tackle first? he looked me in the eye with that look reserved just for his

chief of staff -- [laughter] "rahm, we were sent here to tackle all of them, not choose between them." [applause] there was no blueprint for how to manual for preventing in global financial meltdown, an auto crisis, two wars and a great recession all of the same time. believe me, if it existed, i would have found it. each crisis was so deep and so dangerous. anyone of them would have to find another presidency. we faced a once in a generation moment in american history. fortunately for all of us, we have a once in a generation president. [cheers and applause] in those and chartered waters, i saw where the president could find his north stars appear

every night, president obama reedsburg and letters from everyday americans. when i met with the president at the end of each day, he made sure he had their letters to read at his residence, letters from people just hoping for someone in power to understand their struggles. i can tell you how many times, whether we were discussing the economy, health care or the energy crisis, the president walked to his desk, would take out one of the letters and read them to us and say this is who we are fighting for. parents working hard to save for their child's education. middle-class americans fighting tooth and nail to hold onto their jobs, their homes or their life savings. it is their voices that president obama brings to the oval office peer is their values he saw -- i saw him fight for every day. in the first month, he fought

for the american recovery act to put people to work building america's roads, rails and runways. to this day, our economy has gone from losing it hundred thousand jobs a month to adding 4.5 million private-sector jobs in the last 29 months. [applause] things are slowly but surely running again and never again will taxpayers foot the bill for wall street's excesses. in case we forgot, that was the change we believe in, that was the change we fought for, that was the change president obama delivered. president obama took office knowing full well that, for the last century, presidents have tried to reform our health care system. today, because of president obama's courage to my kids can stay on their parents' plan until they are 26.

insurers cannot take you off your policy because you have a pre-existing limit. because you have hit the existing limit. they will be able to deny you because you have any pre- existing condition. because of president obama's leadership, every american will have access to affordable quality health care. that was the change we believed in print that was the change we fought for. that was the change president obama delivered. i saw the president make the tough calls and the situation room. today, our troops in iraq have finally come home so america can do some nation-building here at home. that was a change we believed in. that is a change we fought for. that is a change president obama delivered. i remember when the president received a report that the auto industry had a few weeks before its collapse. we met in the roosevelt room late into the night. some of the president's advisers

said that them in order to save general motors, you had to let chrysler go under. others said, it is like throwing good money after bad. among all the experts, there were only guesses and only put it better than a one in four shot. only the president suggested going all in to save the industry and the jobs. [cheers and applause] rising above all the voices in washington, president obama listened to the voices that mattered to him most, the voices of the auto workers in the communities that depended on him. just like the voices of the steelworkers and the communities in the south side of chicago where he worked earlier in his career. president obama -- to president obama, they were not just companies that needed a loan. they were communities that needed a leader to stand up for them.

[applause] and because president obama made the right choice, over 1 million americans are still working today. the american auto industry is not just surviving. it is thriving. [applause] where mitt romney was willing to turn his back on akron, dayton, and toledo, ohio, the president said, i've got your back. that was a change we believe in. that was the change we fought for. that was the change president obama delivered. in those first few months, the president worked to put accountability in our children's schools with race to the top so that every child has an education that measures up to their full potential. he was willing to demand change and embrace reform. the president never changed his views to suit the moment with the audience pinned and that is also a measure of leadership. [applause]

every challenge is different. every choice was difficult. but every time the leadership was steady. the one thing i know with absolute certainty, having served two great presidents, is that coming the next four years, and unforeseen crisis, challenge or conflicts will show up and sees this country. whose leadership, whose judgment, whose values do you want in the white house when that lands like a thud on the oval office desk? that's right. a person who said in four words, let the troy to go bankrupt, or a president who had another four words, not on my watch? [cheers and applause] a person who believes in giving tax cuts to the more fortunate or a president who believes in making college more affordable

for all americans? a person who wanted to keep the don't ask/don't tell or a president who believes that who you love should i keep you from serving in the country you love? [applause] believe me, having served two great presidents, when the father of uncertainty that surrounds the crisis storms into the white house and all the advisers and chiefs of staff have only guesses and hedges to offer the president, it will be the president's leadership that determines how we as a nation meet the challenges that face the middle-class. it is the presence of values that face the future in which the middle class as hopes of the person who takes the oval office in the next four months will shape not just the next four years, but the next 40 years of this great nation. and these next four years, we need proven leadership, proven judgment and proven values. america needs four more years of barack obama.

thank you and god bless you! [cheers and applause] ♪ >> please welcome cal penn, actor and political activist. >> hello, thank you. thank you guys. nice. see, i like that can think you very much. i am honored to except your nomination for president of united states. [applause] wait. this is not my speech. [laughter] prompter guy, could you pull up my speech, please? this is awkward. while we are waiting, we have a special message for those of you

at home who recently turned 18. good news. i can now legally register you to vote. [cheers and applause] i have worked on a lot of fun movies. but my favorite job was having a boss who gave the order to take out some of the layton and you is it -- osama bin laden and who is cool with all this having gay marriage. so thank you, invisible man in the chair with that. [cheers and applause] and for giving my friends affordable health insurance and the bling the pell grant. i started volunteering for barack obama in 2007. but nothing compares to what i saw behind-the-scenes in the white house when i had the

opportunity to serve for barack obama as liaison for young americans. one of the special days was a saturday in 2012. the senate had repealed don't ask/don't tell so that anyone can serve the country they love regardless of whom they love. but on the same day, the dream act was blocked. that bill would give the immigrant children who have never pledged allegiance to any flag but hours a chance to earn their suggestion -- their citizenship. simple. important. i was in a small office in the west wing and we had worked out our hearts, caring deeply about what this would mean further young people. there was not a dry eye in the rügen tears of joy for the history that was made, but also tears of sadness because the dreams of others would be deferred. a few moments later, barack obama came in with his sleeves rolled up.

he said this is not over. we will keep fighting. i will keep fighting. we need young people to keep fighting. that is why we are here a few months later, president obama fought to keep taxes from going up on middle-class families. republican friends said, sure, you can do that, but one of the things they were willing to trade was a little item called the college tax credit, which today is sitting students and to $10,000 over the course of four years of school. president obama paid off his own student loans not too long ago. he remembers what that is like. he said that making it easier to go to college and get technical training is exactly how we grow our economy and create jobs and out-compete the entire world. so he stood firm. and that tuition tax credit is still there. [cheers and applause] but here's the thing.

if we don't register, if we don't vote, it won't be. i volunteered in idylwild in 2007 because, like you, i have friends serving in iraq and i had friends who were looking for jobs, others who could not go to the doctor because they cannot afford it. i thought that had to change. so i knocked on some doors and registered some voters here and i am volunteering again because my friend matt got a job at a car dealership that still exists, because my friend julie can get the prescription she needs, because my buddy kevin's lawyer for and was able to watch him graduate from -- my buddy kevin's boyfriend was able to watch and graduate from marine corps training. we cannot tree that. before we close -- i am unsure which hash tag you will be

using when i am done -- but i ask you to join me. you don't even have to put pants on. go to committobarackoba ma.com. call your friends. call strangers. volunteer. that is how we will win this thing. i really enjoyed listening to rahm's speech. but he is a mere nine he can i use four-letter words. but i am not a mayor. so i have one for you. vote. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] ♪ please welcome maya sapporo and

craig robinson. ♪ >> alright, maya. >> greetings and aloha from the great state of hawaii. i am maya satoroing. i am president of obama's little sister. i am michelle obama's older brother. any 7-footers out there come give me a call. >> craig and i come from different states. we have had different upbringings. as you can see, we have different perspectives on the

world. >> but no matter how different winning seem, we share a set of values are -- how different we may seem, we share is set of values, values that are as important in chicago as they are in honolulu. a willingness to work hard, a commitment to education, and looking out for each other. they are the values of how barack and michele have lived their lives, raise their nieces, and lead this country as president and first lady of the united states. [applause] >> four years ago, at this convention, i spoke with you all about how barack and i did not grow up with much in the wake of wealth. but we were blessed with a mother who taught us that education is the surest path from limited means to limitless opportunity. she inspired me to become a teacher and she inspired barack's deep commitment to giving all our young people the opportunity is our education gave us.

he has made sure more of our youngest children have a stable foundation that head start provides pin he saved the jobs of teachers in our schools. and he has helped more of our students afford a higher education. [applause] our mother also taught us that everyone has worth, regardless of who they are or what they believe. that is what inspired barack's vision for more inclusive than compassionate america. where everyone has a part to play in our shared story. he has made sure women can fight for equal play -- equal pay for equal work instead of for the freedom to make our own decisions about our health he named two brilliant women who understand our lives to the supreme court. [applause] and i will say it again. he ended don't ask/don't tell so

no one would ever have to hide who they love to serve. making sure everyone in america has a chance to make it, like he did, that is what my wonderful big brother is all about and that is what he will do for four more years. [applause] >> four years ago, i told you how, when she was a young girl, michelis to talk to me about which kids at school were having a tough time at home. and did not have anybody to stick up for them. and what inspired her most as she travels this country, on that campaign, when the stories of brave americans who juggle everything at home while their husbands and wives are off at war. you see, america's military spouses and families may profound sacrifices, too. and michele promised that come if she had the privilege to serve as first lady, she would

do everything she could to make sure america was there to honor, recognize and support their unique -- their unique service. i have been so proud to watch her rally americans, to give millions of hours of their time in service to our military families. she is working with schools that educate military children to had better courses. when barack challenged businesses to hire 100,000 veterans and military spouses, michele and jill biden rallied co's to the cause. and last month, they stood with ceo's to announce the they have hired 125,000 veterans and military spouses. surpassing the goal more than a year ahead of schedule. she is still the kind little sister she always was. now she is just sticking up for

those who stand up for us. and i am proud of her work to give our children a healthier start in life. and let's face it, maya, i could use the [laughter] recruits >> barack and michele have always been there for us pin tonight, we are here for them. and with your help, we can fill the white house with their brand of warmth, compassion and commitment to all our people for four more years. thank you so much. [applause] ♪

>> every decision i make it is all about ensuring that all of our daughters and all of our sons grew up in a country that gives them the equal chance to be anything they set their minds to. a country where more doors are open to them than were open to us. right now, women are a growing number breadwinners in the household. but they are earning just 77 cents for every dollar a man does. even less if you are an african- american or latino woman. a woman with a college degree in the same work as a man will earn less over the course of career. ending pay discrimination is about far more than simple -- and more women are bringing home the bacon, but bringing home less of it than men were doing the same work. that weakens family spent it weakens communities. it weakens our kids. it weakens our entire economy.

that is why the first bill that i signed into law was the limit -- the lee ledbetter act to make it easier for women to demand fairness. equal pay for equal work. we're pushing legislation to give women more tools to fight discrimination. and we have incurred companies to make workplaces more -- we have a encourage companies to make workplaces more flexible. something like standing up for equal pay for equal work is not something i have to get back to you want in it is the first law that i signed. -- get back to you on. it is the first law that i signed. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the ledbetter -- will ledbetter.lly

[applause] >> thank you. good evening. my name is lilly ledbetter and i am here tonight to say what a difference four years makes. [applause] some of you may know my story, how, for 19 years, i worked as a manager at a tire plant in alabama and some of you may have lived a similar story. after nearly two decades of hard, proud work, i found out that i was making significantly less money than the men who were doing the same work as me. i went home, talked to my husband, and we decided to fight. we decided to fight for our family and for your family, too. [applause] we sought justice because equal pay for equal work is an

american value. that flight to meet tain year's big hit took me all the way to the supreme court. in a 5-4 decision, they stood on the side of those who short changed my pay, my overtime and my retirement just because i am a woman. the supreme court told me that i should have filed a complaint within six months of the company's first decision to pay me less, even though i didn't know about it for nearly two decades. and if we had not elected president barack obama, the supreme court's wrongheaded interpretation would have been the law of the land. and that would have been the end of my story. but with president obama on our side them even though i lost before the supreme court, we won

the first bill that president obama signed into law. it was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. [applause] i think it says something about his priorities. that is the first bill he would put his name lawn. it has my name on it, too. as he said that day, making our economy were it means making sure it works for everybody -- making our economy work means making it work for everybody. because of his leadership, women who faced pay discrimination like i did now can get their day

in court. that was in the first step. but women still earn just 77 cents for every dollar men make. those pennies add up to real money. it is real money for the little things like being able to take your kids to the movies and for the big things like sending them to college. it is paying your rent this month and the mortgage in the future. it is having savings for the bills you didn't expect and savings for the dignified retirement you have parent. maybe 23 cents does not sound a lot to someone with a swiss banker count -- swiss bank account -- [cheers and applause] an ira worth tens of millions

of dollars. but governor romney, when we lose 23 cents every hour, everyday, every pay check, every job over the entire life, we lose what cannot be measured in dollars. three years ago, the house face to the pitch of fairness act to level the playing field for women in america. the senate republicans blocked it. mitt romney won't even say if he supports it. president obama does. in the end, i didn't get a dime of money. i was short changed. but this came better than lily ledbetter p.m. today, it is about my daughter appeared it is about my granddaughter. it is about women and men. it is about families.

it is about the quality. -- it is about equality and justice. this law that bears my name is bigger than me. it is bigger than all of you. what began as my town is now all of our fight. it is the right for the american fundamental values. it is what made america great. and with president barack obama, we will win. thank you very much, america! [cheers and applause] ♪ > >> please give a warm welcome

to gov. the ball patrick. >> do evening, democrats. are you fired up? are you ready to go? i hope so. this is the election of a lifetime because more than any one candidate or policy, what is at stake is the american dream. that dream, the ability to imagine a better way for ourselves and our families and then to reach for it, that dream is central to who we are and what we stand for as a nation. dream indoors for another generation depends on me. -- whether that dream and doors -- wjetjer tja -- whether that dream endures another generation

depends on you and me. in massachusetts, we know mitt romney. he cut education deeper than anywhere else in america. roads and bridges were crumbling. business was up and business confidence was down. are clean energy potential was stalled and we had a structural budget deficit. mitt romney talks a lot about all the things he fixed. i can tell you massachusetts was not one of them. [applause] he is a fine fellow and a great salesman. but, as governor, he was a lot more interested in having the job than doing the job. [applause] so when i came to office, we set out on a different course, investing in ourselves and our

future. and today, massachusetts leads the nation in economic competitiveness, student achievement, health care coverage, life sciences and biotech energy-efficient the and veterans services. [applause] today, with the help of the obama administration, we are rebuilding our roads and bridges and expanding broadband access. today, we are out of the deficit hole mr. romney left and we achieved the highest bond rating in our history. [applause] today, with labor at the table, we have made the reforms in our pension and benefits system, our schools, our transportation system and more than mr. romney only talked about. and today, in massachusetts, you can marry whoever you love. [applause] we still have much more to do.

much, much more to do. but we are on a better track because we place our faith not in trickle-down fantasies and divisive rhetoric, but in our values and our common sense. the same choice faces the nation today. all that republicans are saying is that, if we just shrink government, cut taxes, crush unions and wait, all will be well. never mind that those at the -- never mind that those are the very policies that got us into recession to begin with. [applause] never mind that not one of the governors who preached that gospel in tampa last week have the results to show for it. [applause] but we democrats, we owe america is stronger argument for what we are against.

we have an argument of what we are for. the question is what we believe? we believe in an economy that grows opportunity out to the middle class and the disenfranchised, not just up to the well-connected. we believe that freedom means keeping government out of our most private affairs, including out of a woman's decision whether to keep an unwanted pregnancy and everybody's decision on him to marry. [applause] we believe that we'll the next generation a better country than we found and that every american has a stake in them. we believe that coming in times like these, we should turn to each other, not on each other. [applause] and we believe that government has a role to play, not in solving every problem in their

bodies left, but in helping people help themselves to the american dream. that is what democrats believe. that is what americans believe. and if we want to win elections in november and keep our country moving forward, if we want to earn the privilege to leave, my message is this -- it is time for democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe! [applause] quit waiting for pundits or polls or super packs to tell us who the next president boris senator congressman will be. we are americans. we shape our own future.

all start by standing up for president barack obama. [applause] this is the president. this is the president to deliver the security of affordable health care to every single american in every corner of this country after 90 years. this is the president who brought osama bin laden to justice, who ended the war in iraq and is ending the war in afghanistan. [applause] this is the president who ended don't ask/don't tell so that love of country not love of another determines fitness for service, who may people paper -- who made equal pay for equal work the law of the lan. this is the president who said the auto industry from extinction, the american

economy from full-blown depression, who added 4.5 million private-sector jobs in the last two 0.5 years, more than in george bush's eight years in office. [applause] my friends, the list of accomplishments is long, impressive and it barely cold. and even more impressive when you consider that congressional republicans have made obstruction itself the centerpiece of their governing strategy. with a record like that and a vision that hopeful and powerful, i for one will not stand by and let him be bullied out of office and neither should you. [applause] i want you to be clear.

what is at stake is real. it is real. the orchard gardens elementary school in boston was in trouble. its record was poor, its spirit was broken and its reputation was iraq. no matter how bad things were in an urban schools in the city, people would say at least we would not -- we were not tortured gardens. today, due to a host of new tools, many enacted by the help of the obama administration, orchard gardens is turning itself around. teaching standards and accountability is higher can the school day is longer and filled with experiential learning. the head of pediatric psychology from a local hospital comes to consult with faculty and parents on the toughest personal issues in students home lives. student attendance is up here and in less than a year,

tortured gardens went from one of the worst schools in the district to one of -- orchard gardens went from one of the worst schools in the district to one of the best in the state. the whole community engaged and they are proud. and so on my. a veteran teacher gathered to read martin luther king's "i have a dream" speech. she asked students what this creed mean? what does notification mean? where is stone mountain? and as the hands of those 6- year-olds and the 7-year-olds shot up, i realized she taught the children not just to memorize that speech, but to understand it. most first graders were on their

own to deal with their party, with ill-prepared young parents, maybe to speak english as a second language, with an underfunded schools, with a neighborhood crime and blight and no access to nutritious food and no place for their money to cash a paycheck. with a job market that needs skills they don't have in a way to pay for college. but those orchard garden kids should not be left on their own. those children are america's children, too, yours and mine. and among them are the future scientists and entrepreneurs, teachers, artists, engineers, laborers and civic leaders that we desperately need. for this country to rise, they must rise and they and their cause must have a champion in the white house. that champion is barack obama pin that cause is the american dream. let's fight for that p.m. let's

can this and phone bank and get out the vote for that. let's go tell everyone we meet that, when the american dream is on the line per and we want barack obama in charge. thank you so much! [cheers and applause] ♪ >> please welcome maryland gov. martin o'malley. >> greetings from maryland, home of the number one public school system in america for four years in a row. [cheers and applause]

since the first days of the american revolution, maryland has been called the old line state. that is because of this true story of a group of soldiers called the maryland line. they were immigrants and native- born, black-and-white, volunteers all on august 27, 1776, two months into our declaration of independence, out numbers and surrounded, washington's army is about to be crushed forever at brooklyn heights. the british are closing in. with america's future hanging in the balance, word is passed up and down the maryland line. fixed bayonets, we are moving forward and they do. into the breach. they hold off the british just enough for washington's army to escape and fight another day. today, there is a plaque at the

end mass grave of those american soldiers. it reads "for the the 400 who on this battlefield saved the ."erican argmy we'll understand that progress is choice. job creation is a choice. whether we move forward or back, this too is a choice and that is what this election is all about. democratic governors with the support of our president are leading their states forward, putting job creation first, balancing budgets, protecting priorities and making the tough decisions right now to create jobs and expand opportunity. together with president obama, we are moving america forward, not back. with 29 months in a row a private-sector job growth, president obama is moving

america forward, not back. by making college more affordable for millions of middle-class families, president obama is a moving america forward, not back. by securing the guarantee of medicare for our seniors, president obama is moving america forward not back. by putting forward a concrete plan to cut waste, asking those of us at the top to pay a little more and reduce our deficit by adding american manufacturing jobs for the first time since 1990's, president obama is moving america board, not backward. not back.d, b no president has inherited a

worse economy bigger job loss or deeper problems from his predecessor. but president obama is moving america forward, not back. and yet, mitt romney and paul ryan say they want to take america back. and we have to ask, back to what? back to the failed policies that drove us into this deep recession? back to the days of record job losses? back to the days went insured companies called being a woman a pre-existing condition? no, thank you. i do not want to go back, do you? instead of a balanced, achievable plan to create jobs and reduce the deficit, mitt romney says he would put forward a plan that would cut taxes for

millionaires while raising them on the middle class. instead of improving public safety and public education like president obama, mitt romney says we need less firefighters, teachers, and police. instead of safeguarding our seniors, mitt romney and paul ryan would end the guarantee of medicare and replace it with a voucher in order to give bigger tax breaks to millionaires. -- to billionaires. they hide their money in swiss bank accounts and put jobs in china. swiss bank accounts never built an american bridge. swiss bank accounts never put police on the streets or teachers in our classrooms. swiss bank accounts never created american jobs. governor romney, debt because you bank against the united

states of america does not mean the rest of us are willing to sell her out. we are americans. we must act like americans. we must look forward, not back. my parents like so many of yours were part of that great generation that won the second world war. that the 33 missions over japan -- dad flew in 33 missions over japan and was able to go to college only because of the gi bill. our parents taught us to love god, love our family, and love our country. their own grandparents were immigrants. the first language may not have an english but the hopes and dreams they have for their children were purely american.

there is a powerful truth at the heart of the american dream. the strong remake our country, the more she gets back to us, to our children, and our grandchildren. our parents and grandparents understood this truth deeply here every day believe as we do that to create jobs, and modern economy requires modern investments, educating, innovating, rebuilding for our children's future. building an economy to last from the middle-class up, not from the billionaires' down. live in changing times. the question is what type of change will make of it? as research for common ground and the way forward together, let's ask one another, let's ask the leaders in the republican party without any anger, meanness or fear, how much less do you really think would be

good for our country? how much less education would be good for our children? how many hungry american kids can be no longer afford to feed? governor romney, how many fewer college degrees would make us more competitive as a nation? the future we seek is not a feature of lost opportunity. it is a feature a more opportunity, more opportunity for all americans. -- it is a future of more opportunity, more opportunity for all americans. your parents a great grandparents did not do heartbreak backing him -- backing works to theirhi grandca country of less. they came here because the united job generating, opportunity and expanding country ever created by a free people and in the history of civilization.

and she still is. let us not be the first generation of americans to give our children a country of less. let us return to the urgent work of creating more jobs, more security, more opportunity for our people. together, let us move forward, not backed by reelecting barack obama. president of the united states. [applause] ♪ >> delegates and guests, please welcome texas state rep joaquin castro. >> thank you. tonight i have the honor of introducing you to our keynote

speaker, my twin brother, san antonio mayor julian castro. as you can imagine, this is a very special moment for our family. for each of us, the places we call home shape our character, and form how we see the world and inspired -- inspire our imagination. julian is a proud texan. for 18 years, we shared a small room and big dreams in our neighborhood on the west side of san antonio. our home town is a beautiful place. a place of hard working, humble folk who grind out a living by day and go home and say prayers of thanks to god at night. since becoming mayor, julian castro has worked tirelessly to pursue policies that honor the aspirations of the people he represents. i am proud my brother has achieved his dream but i am even more proud of the work he has done to help others achieve

theirs. today san antonio is our nation's seventh largest city, a city on the rise and looks like the america of tomorrow. julian castro is a dedicated has been to his wife, a public- school teacher, and wonderful father to his 3-year-old daughter. it is with much love and pride that i present to you my best friends, my plan and brother, san antonio mayor julian castro. ♪ [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you.

my fellow democrats, my fellow americans, my fellow texans -- i stand before you tonight as a young american, a proud american, of degeneration born as the cold war receded, shaped by the tragedy of 9/11, and determined to reelect the man who will make the 21st century another american century, president barack obama. the unlike the journey that brought me here tonight began many miles from this podium. my brother and i grew up with my mother and my grandmother.

my grandmother was an orphan. as a young girl, she had to leave for home in mexico and move to san antonio relatives agreed to take her in. she never made it past the fourth grade, she had to drop out and start working to help with family. my grandmother spent her whole life working as a maid, a cook and a baby sitter. barely scraping by but still working hard to give my mother her only child a chance in life so that my mother could get my brother and me an even better one. as my grandmother got older, she begged my mother to give for grandchildren. she prayed to god for just one grandbaby before sheied. you can imagine her excitement when she found out her prayers' would be answered twice over. she was so excited that the day before my brother and i were born, she entered a cookoff and one $300.

that is how she paid our hospital bill. by the time when brother and i came along, this incredible woman taught herself to read and write in spanish and english. i can still see her in the room that my brother and i shared with her, reading her novels late into the night. i can still remember her every morning as my brother and i walked out the front door to school making the sign of the cross behind us, saying mae got blasted. my grandmother did not live to see as begin our lives in public service but she probably would have thought it extraordinary that one grandson would be the mayor and the other would be on his way. the good people of san antonio willing, to the united states congress.

my family's story is not special. what is special is the america that makes our story possible. ours is a nation like no other. a place where great journeys can be made in a single generation, no matter who you are or where you come from. the path as always forward -- is always forward. america did not become the land of opportunity by accident. my grandmother generation and generations before saw beyond the horizon of their own lives and their own circumstances. they believe it the opportunity created today would lead to prosperity tomorrow. that is the country they envisioned and that is the country they helped build. the roads and bridges they built, the schools and universities they created, the rights they fought for and won.

these open the doors to a decent job, a secure retirement, the chance for your children to do better than you did. and that is the middle-class, the engine of our economic growth. with hard work, everybody ought to be able to get there and with hard work, everybody ought to be able to stay there. and go beyond. the dream of raising a family in a place where hard work is rewarded is not unique to americans. it is a human dream. one that caught -- calls across oceans and borders. the dream is universal. but america makes it possible and our investment and opportunity makes it a reality. now, in texas, we believe in the

rugged individuals -- texas may be the one place where people actually still have a bootstraps. and we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. but we also recognize that there are some things we cannot do alone. we have to come together and invest in opportunity today for prosperity tomorrow. and it starts with education. 20 years ago, my brother and i left home for college and then for law school. in those classrooms, we met some of the brightest folks in the world. but at the end of our days there, i could not help but to think back to my classmates at thomas jefferson high school in san antonio.

they had the same talents, the same brain, the same dreams as the folks we sat with at stanford and harvard. i realize the difference was not one of intelligence or dry. the difference was opportunity. in my city of san antonio, we get that. so we are working to ensure that more four-year olds have access to pre k. we opened cafe college where students get help for financial aid people work in college preparatory. we know that pre k and student loans are not charity. they are a smart investment in a work force that can fill and create the jobs of tomorrow. we are investing in young minds today to be competitive in the

global economy tomorrow. and it is paying off. last year, the milken institute ranked san antonio as the nation's top local performing economy. and we are only getting started. opportunity today, prosperity tomorrow. now, like many of you, i watched last week's republican convention. and they told a few stories of individual success. we all celebrate individual success. but the question is -- how do we multiplied that success? the answer is president barack obama. mitt romney does not get it.

a few months ago, he visited a university in ohio and a student there a little entrepreneurial advice. started business, he said. but how? borrow money if you have to from their parents, he told them. gee, why didn't i think of that? [applause] soem people are lucky enough to borrow money from their parents. but that should not determine whether you can pursue your dreams. not in america, not in the 21st century. i cannot think governor romney meant any harm. i think he is a good guy. he just has no idea how good he has had it. we know that in our free market

economy, some were prosper more than others. " we cannot accept is the idea that some folks will not even get a chance. and the thing is, mitt romney and the republican party are perfectly comfortable with that america. in fact, that is exactly what they are promising us. the romney ryan budget is not cut public education, medicare, transportation and job training, it does not just pummel the middle class. it dismantles it. it dismantles what generations before have built to ensure that everybody can enter and stay in the middle class. when it comes to getting the middle-class back to work, mitt romney said "no." when it comes to respecting women's right, mitt romney said "no." when it comes to letting people love with a love and marry who they want to mary, mitt romney says "no." when it comes to expanding access to good health care, mitt romney says "no."

actually, [applause] actually, mitt romney said yes and now he says no. governor romney has undergone an extreme makeover. and it ain't pretty. so here is what we are going to say to mitt romney in november -- no. of all the stories we heard last week in tampa, the one i find most troubling is this -- if we ought to go our own way, our nation will be stronger for it. if we sever the threads that connect us, the only people who will go far are those who are already ahead.

we all understand that freedom is not free. but mitt romney and paul ryan do not understand is that neither is opportunity. we have to invest in it. republicans tell us that this is the most prosperous among us do better, somehow the rest of us will too. folks, we have heard that before. first they called the trickle- down. then they called it supply- sider. now it is romney ryan or is it my and romney. either way, there theory has been tested, it failed, our economy failed, the middle-class paid the price, mitt romney just as i get it. -- just does not get it. [applause]

but barack obama gets it. [applause] he understands that when we invest in people, we are investing in our shared prosperity. when we neglect that responsibility, risk our promise as a nation. a few years ago, families that have never asked for anything found themselves at risk of losing everything. and the dream my grandmother helped that work would be rewarded, that the middle class would be there if not for her than for her children, that dream was being crushed. but then president obama took office and he took action. when detroit was in trouble, president obama saved the auto industry and saved a million jobs. seven presidents before him, republicans and democrats, tried to expand health care all- american. president obama got it done. [applause]

he made a historic investment to expand progress so that more young people can afford college -- pell grants so that more young people can afford college. the president took action to lift the shadow of deportation from a generation of young, law- abiding immigrants. [applause] now it is time for congress to enshrine in law the right to pursue their dreams in the only place they have ever called home -- america. four years ago, america stood on the brink of a depression. despite incredible odds, a united republican opposition, our president took action and now we have seen a 4.5 million new jobs. he knows better than anyone that

there is more hard work to do. but we are making progress. and now, we need to make a choice. it is a choice between a country where the middle class pays more said that millionaires can payless for a country where everybody pays their fair share so we can reduce the deficit and create the jobs of the future? [applause] it is a choice between a nation that slashes funding for our school and guts pell grants or a nation that invest more in educating? it is a choice between a politician who rewards companies that ship american jobs overseas or a leader who bring jobs back home. this is the choice before us. to my generation and for all the generations to come, our choice is clear -- our choice is a man who is always chosen us.

a man who already is our president, barack obama. crowd: four more years! the american dream is not a sprint. or even a marathon. but a relay. our families did not always crossed the finish lines in the span of one generation, but each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor. my grandmother never owned a house. she cleaned other people's houses and so she could afford to rent her own. but she saw her doctor become

the first in our family to graduate from college. and my mother fought hard for civil-rights so that instead of a mop, i could hold this microphone. [applause] and while she may be proud of me tonight, i have to tell you -- mom, i am even more proud of you. [applause] today, my beautiful wife and i are the proud parents of its

three-year old little girl, carina. named after my grandmother. a couple of days ago, it was our first day wasprek. as a doctor off, we walked out of the classroom -- as we dropped her off, we walked out of the classroom and i whispered to her as was once whispered to me -- may god bless you. she is still young and her dreams are far off yet. but i hope she will reach them. as a dad, i am going to do my part and i know she will do hers. but our responsibility as a nation is to come together and do our part as one community, one united states of america, to ensure opportunity for all of our children. the days we live in are not easy

ones but we have seen days like this before. an america prevailed. with the wisdom of our founders and values of our family, america prevailed. but in the we did with each generation going forward, america prevailed. with the opportunity bill today for a shared prosperity tomorrow, america will prevail. it begins with reelecting barack obama. it begins with you. it begins now. may god bless you. and they got last the united states of america. -- may god bless you and may god bless the united states of america. thank you.

>> the beautiful thing about being first lady is that i have the privilege of meeting folks from different backgrounds and hearing what is going on in their lives. know that when our men and women in uniform are called to serve, their families serve alongside them. we are trying to end the epidemic of child to the obesity in a generation. when the world is twirling a around you and your faced with tough challenges, if your family is good, you are good. it is in the family in this country struggles, then we can not be fully content with our own families this fortune. because that is not what we do

in this country. that is not who we are. that is not who we are. >> our house growing up was extremely modest. i remember our bedroom being formally the living-room that my parents had divided using paneling. >> if carved the room into two small rooms big enough for a twin bed and a desk. >> i was raised to have fun where we were with what we had. and it seemed like it was ok. >> neither one of our parents went to college. but with a lot of love, caring, and we were given an opportunity

to go to college. >> we did not say you should be a lawyer or a school teacher. but you should get an education. >> we had to take out to the loans in order to pay for those. >> i know now how much my father had to work and struggle because he had to take out loans to cover his portion of our tuition. >> he understood his responsibilities. that despite the hardship, despite his challenges, he was going to be there for his kids. always. no matter what. >> my husband did not [inaudible] he would bounce out of bed and almost sang his way out of the door to work. -- sing his way out of the door to work. that would wake me up and i'm sure it did the same thing for the kids. >> we laughed a lot and all that happened in those two little

rooms. [applause] >> michelle obama, now stepping into america's most traditional role. the full time multidimensional job of first lady. part of what makes her extraordinary is she continues to be down to earth even as the first lady. she is just michelle. our friend of developed i think because they both have an interest in military families. when i met her, she says what you think would be the issue that you're most interested in? i said military families. >> and i said, that is what i would like to do. and that is where it all began. >> we have done three tours. it has meant a lot to our family during difficult times to know that there are folks in white house growing in the same direction as us. >> whether it be helping homeless veterans through

employment, to incorporate the military culture into the school system, helping spouses find jobs. that has all come together. >> she genuinely cares and wants to know military families -- what military families are going through. >> you all did not even ask for much. so we should be able to step up in whatever we can -- in whatever way we can. 1% of the country is working to protect the freedoms of the 99 percent of us. there is a lot we can do to make that service and sacrifice a little easier. >> she sees herself in people. she treats the young children just the way she treats her own kids. they look at her as their mom because she is a mom. >> it is a natural for me to see her getting the nation's kids out there exercising and moving around. but the best way to take care of yourself is to own your health. to eat better, exercise more. >> it is about understanding how

a chao develops and how we can best put a child in a position to be successful. >> she wants it to be fun to read let's move has such a great name. it is something we do together. >> she is a strong woman. >> i want to know if you can do more push ups and then i can do. >> i thought it would not be good to show off the first lady so i stopped. >> get right into it, pull up the sleeves. and jump up -- jumping rope. >> hello, mrs. obama. the number one of fun facts about gardening -- enough care and effort, you can grow your own barackoli.

>> when we went to our garden and harvested some healthy food. a lot of carrots. shia encouraged us to exercise more and to eat healthier. >> you are a wonderful woman. >> i think you are the perfect wife for obama. >> i am barack obama and this is my wife michele. >> i am his date. >> there is nothing more important to her than her children and her marriage and her mom and making sure that they are all in working well together. >> she was very clear. mom in chief. >> i think every parent think their kids are fabulous. and remarkable. special.

my kids are baptist, remarkable, and special. and the reason -- are faublous, remarkable, and special. the reason they are is because the michelle. she is the conductor. >> barack gives me some much credit for who are girls have become but let me tell you, our growth will not be who they are without a man in their life to love them deeply. >> what i love about my wife more than anything is she knows what is important. she knows that the best and most important legacy to anybody -- in anybody's life is making sure your kids turn out all right and they have good values. they are kind, caring. what is gratifying to me is that i know the girls at this point are going to be fine because they have the best mom in the world. [applause]

>> please welcome elaine brye from ohio. >> what is a mom like me doing in a place like this? i am not even a political person. but what i am as a military mom. [applause] my husband and i are so proud of our five kids. one each in the army, navy, the air force, and the marines. our younkers is still in high school and we are hoping he will join the coast guard -- our youngest is still in high school

and we are hoping he would join the coast guard. they are moms most precious treasures of. i do not know when i am going to get them together again because one of them is always deploying. but because of dr. biden, and the first lady, and our lives are a little bit easier. along with president obama, they have made helping military families a top priority. they have brought together the american people, including thousands of businesses, to become part of a nationwide support network. it is honor and respect in action and it warns this mother's heart. -- it warms this mother's heart. last december, i wrote michelle obama at christmas card. just a mom to mom note to say thank you for caring.

the first lady not only read my letter, she invited my husband and i to the white house. [applause] it was an amazing experience. but what is even more amazing is knowing that our commander in chief and first lady are taking about families like mine every single day. [applause] like i said, i am not a political person. but i am a mom. and if someone is there for my family and families like mine, then i will be there for them. [applause] that is why i am so proud to introduce my fellow mom and our first lady, michelle obama. [applause] ♪

>> thank you. thank you so much.

thank you so much. crowd: four more yaers! with your help. let me start. i want to start by thanking elaine. we are so grateful for your family's service and sacrifice. we will always have your back. [applause] over the past few years as first lady, i have had the extraordinary privilege of travelling all across this country. everywhere i have gone and the people i've met and the stories i have heard, i have seen the very best of the american spirit. i have seen it in the

incredible kindness and more that people are shown in me and my family -- and warmth that people have shown me and my family. i have seen it in teachers in a near bankrupt school district to vowed to keep teaching without pay. i have seen it in people become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others, flying across the country to put out a fire, diving for hours to bail out a town. i have seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families. in wounded warriors to tell me they are not just going to walk again, they are going to run and they are going to run marathons. in the young men blinded by a bomb in afghanistan to simply said i give my eyes and 100 times again to have the chance to do what i have done and what

i can still do. every day, the people i meet inspire me. every day they make me proud. every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth. [applause] serving as their first lady is an honor and privilege -- as your first lady is an honor and privilege. four years ago, i still have some concerns about the journey began. while i believe it if we dig deeply in my husband's vision for this country and i were certain he would make an extraordinary president, like any mother, i was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance. how would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight? how would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends and the only home they had ever known? our life before moving to washington was filled with

simple joys. saturdays at soccer games, sundays at grandma's house and a date night for barack and me with either dinner or a movie because as an exhausted mom, i cannot stay awake for both. and the truth is, i loved the life we had built for our growth. and i deeply love the man i built that life with and i did not want that to change if he became president. [applause] i loved barack just the way he was. even back then, the barack was a senator and presidential candidate, to me, he was still the guy who picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, i could actually see the pavement going by in a hole in the passenger side door. he was the guy whose proudest

possession was a coffee table he found in a dumpster. [applause] and his only parodies and jews and his only parir of decent shoes was half a size too small. i found in him a kindred spirit. we were both raised by families that did not have much in the way of money or pri -- material possession but who had given us something far more valuable. their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves. my father was a pump operator at the city water plant and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and my brother and i were young. even as a kid, i knew there were plenty of days when he was in

pain. i knew there were plenty of warnings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed -- mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed. but i watched him went up with a smile, to grab his walker, prop himself against the sink and slowly shave and but in his uniform. when he returned home after a long day's work, my brother and i would stand at the stairs of our apartment, patiently waiting to greet him, watching as he reached down to lift one leg and then the other to slowly climb his way into our arms. despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work. he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of. and when my brother and i finally made it to college, nearly all o tuition came from

student loans and grants. but my dad still have to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself. and every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out loans when he fell short. he was so proud to be sending his kids to college and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late. for my dad, that is what it meant to be a man. [applause] like so many of us -- that was the measure of his success in life. being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family. and as i got to know barack, i realize that even though he had grown up all the way across the country, he had been brought up just like me. sed by was waived -- raiwse

a single mom who rate -- struggle to pay bills and by grandparents to step in when she needed help. she moved quickly up the ranks at a community bank like so many women, she had a glass ceiling. and for years, men no more qualified than she was, men she actually trained, were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money bob barack's -- while barack's family continue to scarpe by. but after day, she a rival network before anyone else, giving her best out complaint or regret. she would often tell barack so long as you kids do well, that is all that really matters. like so many american families, our families were not asking for much. they did not be tried to anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they

did. they admired it. this simply believed in that fundamental american promise -- they simply believe in that fundamental american promise. if you work hard and do what you are supposed to do, you should be able to build a decent life yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids. that is how they raised us. [applause] that is what we learn from their example. we learned about the dignity and decency. that's how hard you work matters more than how much you make. that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself. we learned about honesty and integrity. that the two matters. -- that the truth matters. that you do not take shortcuts are played by your own set of rules.

at success the blackout unless you earn it fair and square. we learned about gratitude and humility. that summon people had a hand in our success from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean. we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect. those are the values that barack and i and to many of you are trying to pass on to our own children. that is who we are. standing before you four years ago, i knew that i did not want any of that to change if barack became president. today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways i never could have imagined, and i have seen firsthand that being

president does not change who you are. it reveals the you are. -- who you are. [applause] i have gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like. and i had seen how the issues that come across the president's desk are always the hard ones. the problems were no amount of data are members will get you to the right answer. the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there is no margin for error. and as president, you are going to get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people, but at the end of the day when it comes time to make that decision as president, all you have to guide you are your values and your vision and the life experiences that make you who you are.

so when it comes to rebuilding our economy, barack is thinking about folks like my dad and his grandmother. he is thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day's work. that is why he signed the better fair pay act to help women get equal pay for work. that is why he cut taxes for working families at small businesses and fought to get the of the industry back on its feet. that is how he brought our economy and the brink of collapse to creating jobs again. jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs. right here in the united states of america. [applause] when it comes to the health of our families, barack refused to listen to those folks who told him to leave health reform for

another day. another president. he did not care whether it was the easy thing to do politically. that is not how he was raised. he cared that it was the right thing to do. [applause] he did it because he believed that here in america, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine. our kids should be able to see a doctor when they are sick. and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness. [applause] and he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care. [applause] that is what my husband stands for.

when it comes to giving our kids reeducation they deserve, barack knows that like me and so many of you, he never could have attended college without financial aid. and believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bill was actually higher than our market. we were so young, so in love, and so in debt. and that is why barack has fought so hard to increase to 80 keep interest rates down because he wants every young person to attend college without a mountain of debt. in the end for barack, these issues are not political. they are personal. because barack knows what it means when a family struggles. he knows what it means to want something more for your kids and

grandkids. barack knows the american dream because he has lived it. and he wants everyone in this country, everyone to have the same opportunity no matter who we are or where we are from or what we look like or who we love. [applause] and he believes that when you work hard and done well and walk through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. no, you reach back and you give other folks the same chances that help you succeed.

so when people ask me whether being in the white house has changed my husband, i can honestly say that when it comes to his character and his convictions and his heart, barack obama is still the same man i fell in love with all those years ago. he is the same man who started his career by turning down high- paying jobs and instead of working and struggling -- in struggling neighborhoods where steel plant shutdown, fighting to rebuild communities and get folks back to work. because for barack, success is not about how much money you make. it is about the different to make in people's lives. make iniffrence y0oouy people's lives.

he is the same man when our girls were first born with anxiously checked their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew. you see, that is the man who sit down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering questions about issues in the news, strategizing about middle school french ships -- friendships. that is the man i see in this quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him. the latter are the father struggling to pay his bills. -- the letter from the father struggling to pay his bills. on the young people with some

much promise but so few opportunities. and i see the concern in his eyes. and i hear the determination in his voice as he tells me you will not believe what these folks are going through. it is not right. we have got to keep working to fix this. we have so much more to do. [applause] i see how those stories -- crowd: four more years! >> i see how those stories, our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams, i see how that is what drives barack obama

every single day. and i did not think it was possible. but let me tell you today, i love my husband even more than i did four years ago. even more than i did 20 years ago when we first met. let me tell you why -- i love that he has never forgotten how he started. i love that we can trust barack to do what he says he is going to do, even when it is hard, especially when it is hard. i love that for barack, there is no such thing as the us and them. he does not care whether you are a democrat, a republican, or any of the above. he knows that we all love our country. he is always ready to listen to good ideas. he is always looking for the very best. -- in everyone he meets. i love that even in the toughest moments, when they are all sweating it, -- when we are all

sweating it, barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and noise. just like his grandmother, he keeps getting up and moving forward with patience and wisdom. anchorage and grace. -- with courage and grace. he reminds me that we are playing along came here. and that change is hard. change is low and never happens all at once but eventually, -- change is slow and it never happens all at once but eventually, we get there. because of men and women who said to themselves, i may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams but maybe my children will. maybe my grandchildren will. so many of us stand here tonight

because of their sacrifice. and longing and steadfast love. time and again, they swallow their fears and doubts and did what was hard. so today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming or even impossible, let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation. is who we are as americans. it is how this country was built. [applause] and if our parents and grandparents could struggle for us, and if they could send a man to the moon, connect the world

with a touch of a button, then surely, we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids, right? audience: yeah! >> and if so many brave men and women could sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights, then surely we can do our parts as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights. surely we can get to the polls on a election day and make our voices heard. [applause] if farmers and blacksmiths could win an independence from an empire, if immigrants can lead behind every -- leave behind everything they knew, if women

can be dragged into jail quanta but -- into jail to want to vote, a proud american can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with whom they love, then surely, surely, we can get everyone in this country a fair chance at that great american dream. [applause] because in the end, in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country. the story of on wavering hope

and unyielding struggle. that is what has made my story and brought's story -- barrac k's story. i say this not just as a first lady or a wife. at the end of the day, my most important title is still mom-in- chief. [applause] my daughters are still at the heart of my heart and the center of my world. let me tell you. today, i have none of those worries from four years ago. not about whether barrack and i were doing what is best for our girls. today, i know from experience that if i truly want to leave a better world for my daughters

and for all of our sons and daughters, if we want to get -- give all of our childrens' a foundation for their dreams, and opportunity worthy of their promise, if we want to give them a sense of that limitless possibility, the belief that here in america, there is always something better out there if you are willing to work for it, then we must work like never before and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward. my husband, my president, barack obama. thank you. [cheers and applause]

♪ bodye your everybody move your body hey, hey, hey ♪ >> four more years! four more years!

>> delegates and guests, please stand for this week's benediction. >> as a young woman of faith and a leader, i am humbled to follow the first lady, whom we all admire. thank you for inviting me here. as we close this day, let us

quiet our hearts in prayer. god, i stand before you can ask for the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing unto you. i pray for our president, barack obama. may he nosey -- may he know your president as he served as the leader of this nation, a husband to his wife, and a father to his daughter. i pray for governor mitt romney. may he know your presence as he continues to serve as a leader, as a husband, and as a father. help him to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. i pray for our country in the next nine weeks. for those of us here and our ferret -- fellow citizens.

made me a note -- may we make our children proud in how we conduct ourselves. our better selves what this race to be honest rather than fabricated and self-serving. give us humility, to listen to our sick it -- sisters and brothers across the political spectrum. your kingdom is not divided into red and blue states. equip us with moral imagination to have real discourse. unite us as one country even as we wrestle over how we ought to live and govern. we know we are bound up in one another. we have been given the tremendous opportunity when others voice their deeply held convictions, even when they differ from our own.

we know it will take all of us to care for the widow, the or friend, the sick, the lonely, the prisoner, and note homeless i am witness to thousands of hiv-positive mothers, fathers, and children's. help us to keep perspective even as we debate each other. i thank you for the words of st. francis, whose prayer my husband and i keep with us at our home and in our work. as we enter this election st. francis'aise since franci words.

where there is hatred, let us show love. where there is doubt, faith. where there is a despair, hope. ght.e there is darkness, lik to be understoit is in giving, . it is in dying, that we are born into eternal life. amen. >> please welcome the convention sharchair. >> can you feel the enthusiasm tonight?

america can, too. the chair will entertain a motion to recess until 5:00 p.m. on wednesday, september 5. do i hear a motion? do i hear a second? all in favor, say aye. all opposed, say no. the ayes have it. the motion is carried. enjoy the great city tonight.

♪ ♪

>> that concludes the first night of the democratic convention. we will open up our phone lines come for your reactions to what you have heard. we will take your calls, talk to

delegates on the floor, and read some of your tweets. we will watch a few more scenes from the floor. during that, occasionally, i got feedback.

>> there are nearly 6000 delegates at the democratic convention. this is a smaller venue than in tampa. it is quite crowded. >> among the people here, what did you take from tonight's speeches. >> very positive speeches pointing out what we are for, what democrats stand for, what the president has fought for, and the importance of the experience he has had in shaping the direction of his policies and who it is he is fighting for. >> would you compare to what you saw last week on day one of the republican convention, what is the comparison? >> someone whose vision is basically for that average person to be given the

opportunity, with hard work, to make something of himself. if not for himself or herself, then for kids and grandkids. it is important to fight for things like education and for giving the manufacturing sector that comes back the opportunity to survive in a competitive world. it was a very positive speech i think. in contrast to obama and his opponent, his opponent was left to the one listening to reach a conclusion on the wrong, rather than something that is-. -- is negative.

why is it? -- it that mr. romney did not pay his fair share of taxes. we leave it up to the viewers to reach their own conclusion. >> one final question before we go. the keynote address, you have a brother in congress. did you think about that? >> allot. -- a lot. i carry that same burden. i will not call it a burden. it is a wonderful confusion between my brother and myself. people get us mistaken. family is a big part of this convention. it is important we make it clear to the american people what we are talking about for average

families and for middle income families in america. that is a contrast that is so sharp. >> thank you very much for being with us. we will move back here to some of the delegates from virginia and colorado. what do you take away from the speeches? is there a line or a moment you will remember? >> i will remember michelle obama and talking to the crowd about how wonderful a husband he is. i like to see him go back to the promises that brought him into the presidency in the beginning. >> from your perspective? >> the line was when he goes through a door, he will not shut it. he wants others to come in through that door. that is what he is about, making sure every american has the same

opportunity to achieve, that we can all pursue that american dream. >> thank you all for being with us. >> our lines are split by supporters of the president and supporters of the republican ticket, and independence. we look forward to your reaction to tonight's evening. the keynote speech by julián castro, and first lady michelle obama. carlo.egin with i wouldcaller: michelle obama ms

me proud to be an american. also, to the girl who told us to pray for mitt romney. i hope it works. that was classy, and sweet. >> next caller. : thank you so much for c-span. i am thankful c-span will let me watch the convention without the commentary. as i watched michelle tonight, i felt like it was recycled. maybe we could have shown the video from four years ago. i think all was expecting more. i think the country is going to have to search our hearts for what we believe is going to be best for the country. republicans, and democrats. both sides are offering great commentary. i really think i will probably go with mitt romney. i was undecided a few months

ago. as i have watched things unfold, i think romney has a greater hope for our country. the democrats have had the past few years to make decisions for us and it has happened. >> thank you. next up, a comment from an independent. ralph from chicago. you are on. caller: god bless us all. what a fabulous speech from michelle obama. >> ralph, we will let you go. let's move on to a comment from robert from massachusetts. caller: yes, i am from massachusetts. i thought it was a wonderful speech. michelle obama was awesome.

after seeing this, i will stay a democrat. you hear so much of the speech in middle-class, middle class, and the rich, and taxes, and my question is what about the poor people. you never heard of anybody ever saying, did you ever hear about anyone dying from starving. i realized they have to create more jobs. in every state in the country. >> thank you, robert. we will ask our viewers to make

brief comments so we can hear from as many people as possible in the about 35 minutes we have left. steve, you are on. >> chrissy was in denver four years ago. a comparison? >> it was interesting seeing it from 2008. this was like part to. -- part two. talking about taking it further, extending the democratic platform to include marriage equality. i am excited to continue the work we have started. >> we keep hearing this term, enthusiasm gap. is there one among obama supporters? >> absolutely not. there is just as much excitement as four years ago. we have been knocking on doors for quite a while now.

>> how does the president when virginia? >> it all starts with hard work on the ground, knocking on doors, the retail politics, and we have put together an unbelievable operation at least locally. i think it will make all the difference in the election. >> this is a state the president clearly expects to win. was there a line from the speeches tonight that you took away? >> the inclusion of everyone. that women will be treated fairly, that everybody is welcome, that things are trying to make sure they are better than four years ago. >> was there airliner speech that you will remember? >> for me, it was the mayor from san antonio.

opportunity, opportunity, opportunity. that is what barack obama is creating for people, no matter what color. it does not matter what party you are in, what you look like, we are creating opportunities for everybody in the united states. >> thank you for talking to us. >> these party conventions are an opportunity to showcase. let's see some of the reaction to michelle obama's speech on twitter. we will move on to another twitter comment.

we will go back to phone calls. that is supporting the romney ticket. go ahead. caller: hello. i have enjoyed c-span's coverage of both conventions. i do not know what the speakers are talking about with all these jobs president obama is -- has created. all these people are still out of work. back in 1992, clinton was criticizing bush because there were 10 million people out of work. now there are 23 million. what is up with that? that is all i have to say. >> thank you. another matt from brooklyn, new york. caller: i want to say michelle obama's speech was fantastic. michelle obama andll apa ann romney --

both guys are good guys. it is amazing to me we will slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent civilians. these guys seem like great guys. >> next up, detroit, supporting the president. caller: i want to support president obama and the first lady michelle obama for doing a great job. e and my kids. mew and thank you so much. >> next up, a romney supporter named frank. you are on. caller: hello. listening to michelle obama is speech, she talks so much about justice for all, opportunities

for all americans, yet the democratic party discriminant against pre-born americans big time. they want taxpayers to fund that procedure. they want employers to provide drugs. obama has given taxpayer money to foreign family-planning groups that advocate abortion. he has given federal money to embryonic stem cell research, which kills pre-born human beings. i was a democrat for 50 years. this year, i will be supporting mitt romney because he is pro- life, he is for religious freedom and not forging the churches who employ the hospital. i am for traditional marriage.

the democratic party has no authority to change god's definition of marriage. >> thank you. let's return to the floor. >> virginia, north carolina, and new hampshire, three states obama is hoping to win. you are an all elected official and . >> this is my fifth convention. the second time as an obama delegate. tonight i thought was the most exciting of my career. >> as an elective of picture, how does the -- an elected official, how does the president win this state? >> not from the top down. what we have seen so far is that it has taken a lot longer than anyone wanted. we are headed in the right direction.

as long as we continue to move forward, we will have remedies instead of mitt romney, who will take us back. >> did one speaker stand out? >> i would say both. julián castro did an excellent job. michelle obama, i had tears in my eyes. she was so sincere. she spoke like every mother and wife and my sister that i have ever known in my life. she related to all of our experiences in some ways in such a genuine way. that was fantastic. >> thank you. we will go to a north carolina delicate. we found a hat right here. >> first convention. michelle obama stood out. she represented all of america. a mom, a sister, a brother,.

it was his electrifying. it brought tears to my eyes. she spoke about universal. if all of us could feel -- all of us could feel the electricity from her. it was an awesome speech. she set the tone. the president is a people's president. we feel like we are very close. they are not a distant family. they are our family. >> thank you. i will move down to two young delegates from new hampshire. >> can i just graduated from the university of new hampshire. i work for a nonprofit health organization. here i am. first indention. -- first convention.

first lady michelle obama saying, when you are given a moment of opportunity, you do not slam that door. you reach back and hold the door open. that is indicative of what president obama stands for. >> and other first-time delicate. >> i am a freshman at the university of new hampshire. i just started last week. >> what was this like for you? >> very incredible. one of the most exciting nights of my life. there is so much energy, so much positive energy, so much excitement, i do not know how anybody could top this. >> thank you for being with us. clipt's listen to a video of michelle obama as she closed her speech tonight. >> i say all of this tonight not just as first lady, not just as a wife.

at the end of the day, my most important title is still mom-in- chief. [cheers and applause] my daughters are still the heart of my heart, and the center of my world. today, i have none of those worries from four years ago. not about whether barack and i were doing what is best for our girls. today, i know from experience that if i truly want to leave a better world for my daughters and for all of our sons and daughters, if we want to get all -- give all of our children a foundation for their dreams, an opportunity or the of their promise, if we want to give them that sense of limitless possibility, their belief that

here in america, there is always something better out there if you are willing to work for it, then we must work like never before, and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward. my husband, our president, barack obama. [cheers and applause] thank you, god bless you, god + america. -- bless america. >> and now a scene of uptown charlotte around the convention center. the delegates make their way from the convention tonight to their various venues. a small city, and those of us in attendance have kept all of the hotels in the region and lots of

bus rides for people to go to hotels as they make their way from the convention center. let's listen to more calls. patricia supports the president from north carolina and is on the air. caller: hello? as a youth growing up in america, i know it takes time for change to happen, and it cannot happen in four years. i would like to support the president in his efforts to advance the middle class families and to say that i am thankful that, through their efforts, my brother and sister and i are able to attend college and plan a more stable life for the future. >> next up is sam, an independent from atlanta. caller: i want to talk about student loans and grants and why no one can afford college anymore. my dad was able to work during the summer and graduate with no

debt. no one asks why college is so expensive. credit is too easy. you can go online and borrow money from the government without ever having to talk to anyone in person. it is so easy to borrow money. college raised tuition. there is over a trillion dollars -- over $1 trillion in loan debt. people are paying debt over 30 years after they are out of school. they are not a knowledge and the fact that -- the reason college is so expensive. they are perpetuating the problem that we just have to have more credit available. more credit dries up the cost. >> thank you from atlanta. back to the floor.

>> the chair of the democratic national committee. i will ask you a non-political opinion. what is happening behind the stage, behind the podium? >> it is a monumental task. we wanted an acceptable and a -- and inclusive convention, and there is an opportunity to put so many people on the state to come from all walks of life and focus on president obama's mission to ensure that if you work hard and play by the rules, you have an opportunity to be successful. behind the scenes, pretty intense. >> with more rain today, what is the forecast for thursday? will the present except the nomination here or apple the bank of america -- or across the street? >> king's are looking up. i will do my anti-rain dance. hopefully, we will have an opportunity to make sure we are

at the bank of america stadium. >> what are the options? >> we have a variety of things we might do. we are putting that decision off until we get a better sense of the weather forecast. >> you have a busy schedule. thank you very much. >> nice to be with you. >> we will return to telephone calls. next is a romney supporter, chris. caller: i would like to say, the first lady gave a wonderful speech let's look at where the problem really lies in this country. that is the overpayment of congress and the senate. their salaries and their little groups of people who run errands for them. we need to cut budget at the top first. no matter who gets an hour, -- gets in power. >> tonight, the democrats

showcase their sitting house members. tomorrow night, they will do the same with senators. back to twitter. reaction to michelle obama's speech. here is a reaction to julián castro's speech. let's listen to a bit of that speech. >> the romney does not just cut job trading, it does not just pummel the middle class, it dismantles it. it dismantles what generations

before have built to ensure everybody can enter and stay in the middle class. when it comes to getting the middle class back to work, mitt romney says now. when it comes to respecting women's writes, mitt romney said no. when it comes to letting people love with a one to love and marry who they want to marry, mitt romney said no. when it comes to good health care, mitt romney said no. actually -- [laughter] [cheers and applause] actually, actually, actually, mitt romney said yes and now he said no. governor romney has undergone an extreme makeover. .t ain't pretty

here is what we will say to mitt romney in november. we are going to say no. with his castro keynote speech tonight. let's go back to phone calls with reactions to the speakers of my number-one. -- of night number one. caller: only in america can use it -- can you fool the poor and middle class. for both parties to become cheerleaders for tax breaks for the wealthy class. why are republicans in favor of being able to buy health insurance across state lines, which would promote competition and lower premiums or region -- reinstating pharmaceuticals to lower costs, or allow medicare and medicaid to buy pharmaceuticals in bulk. the republicans are fighting for

health insurance companies and not for the tax payers of this country who are putting the -- footing the bill for medicare. thank you, c-span. god bus. >> next up is from chicago. caller: i just want everyone to know i really like michelle obama's speech. it was very good. 'salso like julián castro speech. it was also very good. i am an independent voter, but i will be voting for obama to be president for the next four years because he will support poor people, middle class people, so we can all be better people. a country where 1% of wealthy -- we are all people. i want to make sure when he gets back in office any takes pac -- takes care of the violence in his hometown of chicago, chicago is his hometown, and it should

be a poster of what america should be, and not a poster city of children getting killed every day. >> thank you for your call. we will return to the call -- to the floor. >> from chicago and california. i have to ask you about the posters. as the speaker changed, so to the poster. how did that come together? >> they were handed out. it was planned. >> was there a speech you will take away, a moment from the speeches? washen julián castro talking and reflecting on the generation and the impact that all of the opportunities that his family gave to him and he was able to pass on to his own daughter, that was really moving. >> a lot of people also talking about michelle obama's speech. what was it like inside the room? >> electric. i am from illinois.

we have love the obama family. went to talk about her family and her marriage that has become stronger, it was wonderful to hear. >> disconnected the delegates? >> absolutely. we were in tears. it was wonderful to see her again. >> is this your first convention? >> yes. it was amazing. all of the politicians, especially michelle obama's speech. put us in tears. it was amazing. >> any speakers who stood out? >> all of them. they are all amazing. >> thank you very much for being with us on c-span. we appreciate it. >> let me return to this comment on twitter? -- twittered. -- twitter. to telephone calls. henry is supporting the republicans.

caller: c-span really helps broaden my horizons politically. i have listened to the first lady and the president in numerous talks and, first off, i do not feel better now than i four years ago. i think she was putting on a very nice the side. that is all i have to say. >> supporting the president, you are on. caller: i thought michelle obama and the other speakers were great, but i was a little bit surprised. the speaker who followed the shell, jena lee, i thought it was a little odd to go the prayer route with her speech.

maybe even after the republican national convention, i could see a prayer being led. i am a lifetime democrat. separation of church and state. that is pretty much it. >> thank you. they opened the evening with a prayer as well. let's return to the floor. we have a technical problem. let me show you a tweet. this is a critic of the first lady. the floor once more. we will return to steve if not.

this is john who is an independent. caller: thank you for taking my call. i found myself clapping in my living room for michelle obama. i thought she did a wonderful job of supporting what middle- class americans stand for. >> i lost audio. i have no audio. let me jump in. i will show you a project we are doing on c-span, related to the first lady. this will look at the biographies of everyone. it will start next february.

i would like to tell you a little more about it. >> if we turn away from the needs of others, we align ourselves with those forces that are bringing about the suffering. >> we ought to take advantage of it. >> obesity in this country is nothing short of a public health crisis. >> when somebody had their own agenda. >> i think they serve at -- as a window on the past to what is going on with american women. >> she becomes the chief confidante. she is really, the only one in the world he can trust. >> many of the women who work first ladies, a lot of the war writers, journalists.

they wrote books. >> there are quite frankly, more interesting as human beings and their husbands. -- than their husbands. if only because they are not defined and politically limited by ambition. >> dolly was politically savvy. >> dolly madison loved every minute of it. mrs. monroe absolutely hated it. >> you cannot rule without including what women want and what women have to contribute. >> there was too much looking down. i think it was a little too fast. not enough change of pace. >> probably the most tragic of all of our first ladies. they never shared a bed. >> she later wrote in her memoir that she said, i, myself never made any decision. my only decided what was important and when to presented to my husband. you stop and think about how

much power that is. it is a lot of power. >> part of the battle against cancer is to fight the fear that accompanies the disease. >> she transformed the way we looked at these bugaboos and made it possible for countless people to survive and to flourish as a result. i do not know how many presidents realistically have that kind of impact on the way we live our lives. >> just walking around the white house grounds, i am constantly reminded about all of the people who have lived there before, and particularly, all of the within. -- women.

>> first ladies, influence and image, a new series on c-span produced in cooperation with the white house historical association. coming in february, 2013. >> from arthur washington to michelle obama, all of them will be profiles. a series coming to you beginning in february, 2013. we are looking forward to it. back to felt -- back to telephone calls. a republican, jim. caller: i have been a true republican most of my life. i will tell you the truth. after watching all of this campaign for the last several months, it has been nothing but a big dog and pony show as far as i am concerned with both parties.

with the rising tuitions, michelle obama is talking about the opportunity for everybody to attend college. that is a farce. my income, my success rate has never been worse than it has been in the last four years. they brag about taxes and stuff. that is nothing more than what mr. bush has -- had administered and they are continuing. when you have tens of thousands of dollars being raised for these campaign dinners and funds, everybody is complaining about a deficit. the cost of that -- cost of gas, the high rise of unemployment. i think it is more or less a dog and pony show on both parts. thank you. >> thanks for your call. next is lesley, from louisiana, supporting the president. caller: i would like to say i am doing the whole show tonight and i really enjoyed listening to

michelle obama and i am a barack obama supporter and i will compare it -- continue to support obama because i think he needs at least eight years to take care of what needs to be done. god bless america and get out and vote. >> that is lesley in louisiana. we have about five minutes. return to the floor. >> sorry about the audio issue. we are back now. a democrat, a delicate, and what did you take away from tonight? >> i took away an even deeper understanding of our president and his vision for our country. everything that was said on tonight was represented -- representative of what was important to the nation, including health care for millions of people that had not had health care. rights for women, honoring our

veterans and our active servicemen and women, this was a spectacular night. words cannot really express how the energy was flowing through this place. you felt the passion. >> a keynoter from texas. >> he did an awesome job. the state of texas, we had two wins last week. they were able to reject the motor id bill. this meant a lot for us and the state of texas. >> thank you for being with us. we are moving over to a candidate for california. we will talk about your nose in just a moment. what did you take away from the speech? >> in 2008, it was all about change. in 2012, it has become personal. we are moving california and the

usa for. not backward. >> you want to deliver the keynote address four years ago -- from now. >> i will hopefully be mayor in the next four years and yes, i will be on stage. >> let me ask you ought rigid about your nose. >> i was meeting with the governor of california. one of the security personnel, he closed the door and he did not realize i was walking with him and i did not see the glass door being closed. he walked out and i banged my nose. >> you are still here tonight for the convention. >> after the concussion, yes. i have been checked twice with the doctors. we are all here to support barack obama. four more years of progress. >> thank you for being with us. >> talking about giving your all for politics pared we have a couple more minutes left.

let me show you some tweets. here is a comment from twitter as we close out. linda, you are on. caller: i want to know why, of all the presidents, kennedy and reagan were the only ones who made it to west virginia, and romney did. i heard on tv this morning where a spokesman said obama had helped so many thousands. i am not a racist. i will say that right off the bat. what about the caucasians? what about coal minors in west virginia that are out of work?

what are they going to do? i never heard president obama say anything about coal. last year, i had to report to charity from a hospital and 42 years of working. obamacare will not work for me. i am left having to pay it myself. i will have to sell my house. i admit it was bad when president bush left office. it has gotten worse. >> let me jump in. we are just about out of time. i want to get in a couple more comments. andrew in virginia supporting the romney ticket. caller: thank you for taking my call. i just wanted to give a quick comparison between julián castro's speech and the first lady's speech. , prepare for

today, and michelle obama, the american dream. as a romney supporter, what foundation or a dream can our children look forward to, what prosperity for tomorrow, when, in four years, we have already gone in $5 trillion in debt and it keeps climbing. a great speakers and great speeches do not necessarily equate to great leaders. i think people get so focused on this that they lose sight of the actual issue. that is my comment. i really appreciate you taking my call. >> thank you for making the call appeared we have one last caller. wesley from houston supporting the president. caller: thank you for taking my call. i wanted to say, the comment about where the treasure is is where your heart is.

the woman is complaining and blaming obama for the last four years. they were in their own predicament. he has helped a lot of people. it is a plan to move forward and not backwards. you have to get on the bandwagon to move forward. thank you. >> thank you, wesley. lots more last -- lops more opportunity over the next three days. the hour before each convention day and the hour after, lots of opportunity for your reaction. they areention -- to g expected to be in session until about called top 30 a.m. eastern time. -- until about 12:30 p.m. eastern time. there is the traditional roll

call of the states to select their candidate officially. we will cover all of that on this effort -- on this network. we will wrap this up as soon as the convention is over 12:30 or so eastern time. right now on c-span, we are going to bring you the commentary by the folks on politco. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> welcome back to charlotte. and live coverage of the opening night of the democratic national convention. we are joined by the executive editor of politico.

this was a very clever speech, the first lady never said the word from me -- romney but the contrasts were unmistakable. >> they were very pointed. without comparing, she talked about their middle-class background, how they were self- made. she talked about her mother and her father having ms and struggling and getting college scholarships. she used very powerful words like integrity, decency. the other thing i and she did -- she was trying to go back to the world of hope from 2008. she was trying to have altitude and remind people what they really liked about barack obama. >> helping others made more than just getting ahead yourself. that is an unmistakable reference to mitt romney. >> rate -- right. the whole speech was about barack obama is like you.

the subtext is mitt romney is not like you. because for barack, success is not about how much money you make but the difference to make in people's lives. again hitting that theme -- he is like you. he has had similar struggles, similar family experiences. epiphyte pretty powerfully -- mitt romney is not like to -- amplified pretty powerfully what mitt romney is not like you. >> this is a very hard-hitting speech on mitt romney. she just never mentioned him. that is what made this be smart and effective for this audience. she really appealed to women in this speech. there was no i love you women moment as we saw in and money -- speech.omney's she talked about the rare day and night with barack obama

where she had to choose between dinner and a movie because she is too tired to do both. >> sundays with grandma, soccer games. everything was picturing her father trying to get dressed in the morning with ms. a very visible. >> for our viewers, it pico on politico whave had stories on camp -- people complaining about how small the campaign feels. you could see the dramatic difference between the two parties. the first time everyone rises to their feet with a thunderous applause was the issue of abortion. when two talks about taking on health care reform and others did not want to, thunderous applause. medicare, not as much of a part of her speech but certainly one with the castro speech before it. under his applause. these huge issues. almost comes down to like -- collectivism versus individualism. we are in it together for

democrats. you have to get government shackles away from you to prosper for republicans. >> she did not shy away from talking about health care. talking about reproductive rights and women's health. we heard a lot of attacks on obamacare. to step right up to those attacks and praised the president. >> she took on a hot-button issues without taking them on. she had a very good delivery. it was very well practice. very comfortable. you compare it to ann romney. ann romney and never use a teleprompter before. she was a little awkward. mrs. obama felt very comfortable in what she was saying. the other thing that was interesting -- to talk about 2008 about whether she wanted to do this. she started with that and finished but now i know this is the right thing to do. she also made references to an

address to some of the criticisms of her early on. >> what do you make of -- it seems there was a lot more energy on the floor. a louder audience. is it the auditorium or participants? there were moments in ryan's speech where people seemed into it but for the most part it seemed subdued. can we read anything into that? based likesbama's him far more than romney's base. there's a core budget people out there that level, but when you talk to the same group for mitt romney, they all talk about paul ryan. >> one indicator of that is people tonight have actually listened to the speeches. you look at the cut always, they are looking at the podium, they are reacting and applauding. in tampa, people -- speakers felt like it were shouting to

the wind. >> how much does the venue change the feeling? you talk about him of being bigger and this is a more intimate setting. >> the floor here is almost like a high-school gymnasiums size. the delegates go up into the rafters. in tampa, the delegates or on the floor. >> it is an interesting thing to watch both of the big speeches and the ones getting prime-time coverage. unlike the republican convention which was very much about this and the generation of republicans saying look at me, get to know me, and law that this is about people with similar ambitions but they are trying to communicate by been as forceful as they possibly can in defense of barack obama. every speech we have seen has had a hoo-ray-rah feel to it.

little talk about where the next four years look like. i think that would be the more 0-- the line of attack republican will look for parry >> -- will look like. >> she knew her audience. in the politico hub, this audience exploded with miso the floor -- when we saw the floor. tomorrow, bill clinton and them barack obama. >> when valerie jarrett was on to said they would have some peers. you saw a lot of them in the audience. he also saw a lot of african- americans. i think it brings him back again

to 2008 and the feeling they had about him winning. >> she said i love my husband even more than i did four years ago. >> you cannot score these conventions. if you think back to the republican convention, i do not think the first night matted as much as far as perception setting for the campaign. but if you compare the first night for democrats and republicans, the democrats had a much more successful first night. castro's speech was really good. he is again back. very few people nationally know him. he had a great moment with his daughter to look and her hair. that great touch of humanity. we have the chris christie on the first night on the republican convention and people felt that speech at the words fell kind of flat request is like to castro's, it

night and day. >> this was a clever choice. one of the reasons he was what chosen is he is latino but not a lottery in which makes a big difference. >> and do we think that having a successful first night means a lot going forward in terms of how the third night is going to be? >> pingree some energy that can carry over. bill -- it can create some energy that can carry over tomorrow. bill clinton is tomorrow. the energy bills for tomorrow. he wanted to be climactic. the second night was a huge night for republicans. there is no doubt that paul ryan -- >> the target -- the republicans lost two nights because they had the hurricane and the second night was so like -- was so flat. >> what do you think of the speech?

>> i thought it was very much of a peace with ann romney's. we have taken the politics of empathy and made than the main current. the notion that i am just like you. it is a little rich for my taste. i do not think the conventions were aimed at me as the typical voter. but she -- with the mom in chieff, it was just over the edge of the top in the same way with ann romney's "i love you, women." these people are not just like us. they are better educated, better paid. they have more formidable responsibilities. i am not sure where we got this idea that we want our leaders to be just like us but that is the operating belize of -- >> why do we think that is? it is all about empathy.

how -- look how alike i empty it. -- i am to you. usually these conventions tend to be more forward-looking and policy focus. it feels like there is a conflict -- a continuous effort to have an emotional connection. >> we could use a stash of -- dash of stoicism. the fact of the matter is whether -- how much empathy you have is not really as important as what policies he going to put in place and with your leadership capabilities are. michelle obama's speech did have some nod to policy in the way that ann romney's didn't. >> maybe mitt romney should not

have played a long but we know the obama people recognize the huge vulnerabilities of mitt romney. they know that in the world largest student council election, you do not vote for the smartest kids. you both for the kid to like. >> that must be the calculation. >> and the tone of the speeches and the speakers -- this slice and dice strategy that president obama has. he desperately needs huge turnouts among latinos. women, this out which the women was taken to a new level with the speeches tonight. >> if either side is not it turned out, or there is a lack of enthusiasm. i think there is a greater risk of mitt romney's site to be honest. i think they lose. >> we have been talking about how they're in the first lady's speech, she took some digs at mitt romney.

here is a clip that shows that. >> when people ask me whether being in the white house has changed my husband, i can honestly say that when it comes to his character and and his convictions and his heart, barack obama is still the same and i fell that the love with all those years ago. he is the same man who started his career by turning down high- paying jobs and instead of working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant is shut down, fighting to rebuild communities and get folks back to work. because for barack, success is not about how much money you make. it is about the difference you make in people's lives. >> we see there a clip of mrs. obama trying to contrast with mitt romney.

which she did throughout the speech. >> she also -- the things you listed in the policies were all emotional issues. abortion, all the women jumped up. sit in the car industry. everything -- it was a very emotional speech with a lot of imagery. >> it shows what a formidable weapon she will be this fall. we saw her under the radar but she has really jumped in to the role, fundraising, campaigning. she can throw a punch. >> she does everything but media. >> she enjoys it more than she used to in the past. i used to have a vivid impression. -- that she did not enjoy it. that this was a trip to the dentist but i did not sense that she was -- she was always the more than happy to get in the

arena. >> she was the most comfortable i have seen her. early on, she was a comfortable. he seemed a little edgy. no one believed she wanted to do it. she would talk about how he left his 30 clothes all over the room. i remember -- his dirty clothes all over the room. i remember someone saying what would you kick someone down when he's already down 20 points. she thought she was demonizing him. she was exulting him tonight. >> -- she thought she was humanizing him. she was exalting him tonight. >> there is a visit -- vivd case here about two different world views. about the size and need of government. there was a quote from biden where he said it the way your

grandmother at 80 years old having to pick which medicare plan she takes, republicans would say yes, we do. we want her to be able to have the option where biden says no. government has to be the protector, the decider. there are huge choices here that are getting lost because the election has been so small terry >> i think that is right, size of government. but it is not just the size of government, whose interest is there to promote -- us versus them. but del there was a stark -- i felt there was a stark us vs them in the first night in speeches here. in tampa as well. >> class warfare as alive as well. >> how do you think bill clinton

pushes this thing forward tomorrow? >> his brand of politics -- he does not practice politics of sharp edges. often like to blur edges. he grew up into an era where democrats prospered by plugging these differences and i think that's too tim temperamentally. he generally think the task of political leaders is to unite and bring people together. both campaigns in this year are driven by people who think they prosper by drawing clear mines and sank -- asking people to say which side are you on? it is really a brand of politics in both parties -- >> you think he will be softer tomorrow -- painting a picture

but not harshly? what's bill clinton can throw a punch while looking like he is not telling a punch and be perfectly reasonable. >> i was much in the final two speeches tonight. there is a lot of stuff i think bill clinton would not have had in there. i think he is still a big believer that you have to get the middle. particularly the south, the swing state. whereas barack obama has made the calculation that i want my base. i want democrats who are brad -- who are proud. >> they would say it is great for bill clinton to think that and maybe the work for him but he is not trying to govern or when an election in the polarized politics of 20123 >> the first part of the first lady's speech was often -- all about humanizing.

we have a clip refecting that. >> our life before moving to washington was filled with simple joys. saturdays at soccer games, sundays at grandma's house. and a date night for barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, i cannot stay awake for both. and the truth is, i loved the life we had built for our girls. and i deeply loved the man i had built that life with and i did not want that to change if he became president. i love barack just the way he was. you see, even back then when barack was a senator and presidential candidate, to me he was still the guy who picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out i could

actually see the pavement going by in a hole in the passenger side door. he was the guy whose products position was a coffee table he found in a dumpster -- whose favorite thing was a coffee table he found in a dumpster. >> embracing a reality. the republicans seemed watch the republican convention and democrats seem to watch the democrats invented. democrats talk to democrats. >> i would not really expect that on my one. -- on night one. >> we saw the network members from the rnc. the worship was down about 30%.

how many people are watching it somewhere else like on the web. it feels like fewer people to me watch it. >> i did the research on obama's digital operation. 30% of people are watching it on the internet. the 20-somethings are. they do not bother with the tv anymore. they sit in their bed and watch it. i am not sure we can get a sense of how many people thought -- >> the only species that really matter at these conventions are probably -- the onlyl speeches that really matter at these conventions are probably two. >> i do not think the first lady's speech as a matter that much. i really do not. >> do you think will work --

republicans will tune in for barack obama? >> sure. >> one, i heard in the politico lounge was that tonight is a good example of why conventions should be two or three nights. most of those people did not need to speak and there would not be much resonance to their speed to request in fairness, -- their speed. >> in fairness -- i would be hard pressed to say that you really should watch this. >> both sides agree that at least -- 8% are undecided.

i would like to watch it with them. they are watching to different people from two different worlds trying to win their hearts. both have made different strategic calculations on how you do that. those are the people i want to sit with. i know democrats love michelle obama and republicans kind of like the romneys. the people in the middle -- it's still the middle double decide this. at 6% that are up for grabs. there are now three or four public polls since the republican convention. they have only moved a tiny bit. there is a new abc poll out today that has some movement in mitt romney's direction, particularly among women, but it is still in the margins. >> the audiences are smaller. the electorate is more powerful. >> the 24 hour news cycle -- you

can i get a bounce on anything because you will get one piece of good news and then somebody will have lost something and then is gone. >> this is another of several ways we know -- they have even talk to us about why they believe they have a bigger number them barack obama. now admitting there is not one but they're putting all their eggs and that of the basket of the debate. a huge risk. it lowers their chances of breaking through. >> that is an interesting way to look behind the curtain. they get stuff wrong but if you think of the calculations according to what the operative told us, they thought by this point they would that put away several states including north carolina. they thought for sure there would have gotten some bounce

from the convention. the obama people have been saying for ever that we will come out and it will be tied and we want to be up until the polling in the ten spring state. they are doing pretty well. it is so close it does not matter. it will break one way or the other after that first second debate. certainly that is one of the reasons you some meandering among the republicans. >> to see more optimism in obama headquarters ben mitt romney headquarters. -- you see more optimism in obama headquarters than in mitt romney headquarters. mitt romney has to change something at a time when people are going to be overwhelmed with conflicting advertising messages. it will be very hard for him to make an impression. >> one of the arguments the obama people are making is why change midstream? i am wondering if that is resonating a bit.

do we want to start over again? things are not great but we like the guy. he we know he cares about us. he is trying very hard. but all we just let it go -- why don't we just let it go. it is not like a george bush. i think here people genuinely like this man. aybe that is what the obama's are counting on 3 >> we know what really matters in the speeches are the clips they will see in the next day or two. we have one more clip of the first lady. take a look. >> if farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire, if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores, if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the votes, if a generation could defeat a depression and the final witness for all time, at a young preacher could live up to

the mountaintop with his right to dream and a proud american can be who they are and will please stand at the altar with who they love, then surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great american dream. >> we are back at the politico hub in charlotte. >> which is posted an nine and -- an item. chuck todd saying michelle obama owned the convention the way no speaker owned the convention in tampa. cnn says if they have two more nights like this, they can probably break the race open.

there is no doubt that the casemakers in media -- i think you can anticipate tomorrow will be quite glowing. and the day after coverage is mostly we did was mostly glowing for republicans until a piece was written on chris christie. >> i do think that spouses get great reviews. people thought ann romney's speech was great and it was pretty standard. there is always a tendency to give an extra measure. i thought michelle obama's speech was fine but i doubt it was a pivotal event. >> if you take it in context with castro's speech, it weaves a powerful story. you have a -- >> this is the story of

diversity that republicans desperately wanted to have on states but in reality, they do not have it. if you look at the polls, 7% of hispanics favor president obama. anywhere for -- 70% of hispanics favor president obama. when it comes to white voters, he has 40% of the vote. we have a very racially divided electorate. >> we heard in tampa how democrats think you did not build the business. what they're saying is we debt for opportunity as well, including for people who did not get a head start in life. it is their opportunity to counter the republicans' free enterprise opportunity message. >> there has been a lot of defense starting with rahm emanuel today of decisions barack obama has made. he made a very forceful case on

the auto bailout. we have -- expect to see it lot more particularly with bill clinton tomorrow. >> thank you for watching. we will be back tomorrow with president bill clinton on politico.com. c-span [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> at the camp in 2012 wells -- but said, you can watch a video from the conventions. -- at the campagin 2012 website, you can watch videos from the conventions. are a few created by convention goers. >> my name is chuck. campaign state chair from wyoming. to me the most important issues

in this election are honesty and realism. >> i am a delegate from palm beach county, florida. in 2008 i was the only barack obama delegate and now the whole county is enthusiastic to re- elect our president. >> i am john. mayor of tallahassee. i am here at the dnc. we are here to reelect the president. the most important issue is to save the affordable care act. >> i am from orlando, florida. i am supporting president obama. because he is a brilliant individual who understands and has compassion and will make a difference. >> i am state senator from the state of florida. the most important thing to me here in this convention is the president is able to get his message to everyone and let them know he is the better choice. >> i am a delegate from florida.

the most important issue for me -- i'm a teacher. obama is the best for education. >> i represent the 12th congressional district of north carolina. welcome to the 12th district and to charlotte. most of ported issue in this election is the economy. we have to get on track and we will -- most important issue in this election is the economy. we have to get on track and we will. >> we are asking middle and high school students to send a message to the president. in a short video, students will answer the question -- what is the most important issue the president should consider in 2013? for a chance to win $5,000. there is to keep thousand dollars in total prices. the video competition is open to students open6-12.

go online to studentcam.org. >> the final speaker at tonight's convention was first lady michelle obama. she talked about her marriage and president obama as a husband and father. first we will hear from san antonio texas mayor julian castro. he argued for greater investment in middle-class families. this part of the democratic convention is 40 minutes. >> thank you. thank you. my fellow democrats, my fellow americans. my fellow texans. i stand before you tonight as a young american, a proud american of a generation born as the cold war receded, shaped by the

tragedy of 9/11, connected by the digital revolution, and determined to reelect the man who will make the 21st century and other american century -- president barack obama. the unlikely journey that brought me here tonight began many miles from this podium. my brother and i grew up with my mother and my grandmother. my grandmother was an orphan. as a young girl, she had to leave her home in mexico and move to san antonio relatives agreed to take her in. she made it -- she never made it past the fourth grade. she had to drop out in stock but it stopped working and we did start working. she spent her -- she had to drop out and start working.

she worked hard to give my mother a chance in life so my mother could give my brother and me a better one. as my grandmother got older, she begged my mother to get for grandchildren. she prayed for just one grandbaby before she died. you can imagine her excitement when she found out her prayers' would be answered twice over. she was so excited that the day before my brother and i were born, she entered a menudo cook of and won $300. that is how to pick our hospital bill. by the time we came along, this incredible woman taught herself to read and write in both spanish and english. i can still see her in the room that my brother and i shared with her, leading her agatha christie novels late into the night. i can still remember every morning as my brother and i walked out the front door to the

school, making the sign of the cross behind us, saying may god bless you. my grandmother did not live to see it begin our lives in public service but she probably would have thought it extraordinary that just two generations after she arrived in san antonio, one grandson would be the mayor and the other would be on his way to the united states congress. my family's story is not special. what is special is the america that makes our story possible ours is a nation like no other. a place for great stories can be made is in cogeneration. the path is always forward.

america did not become the land of opportunity by accident. my grandmother generation and generations before always saw beyond the horizons of their own lives and circumstances. they believed that opportunity created today would lead to prosperity tomorrow. that is the country they envisioned and that as the country they helped build. the roads and bridges they built, the schools and universities they created, the rights they fought for and won. these open the doors to a decent job, a secure retirement, the chance for your children to do better than you did. and that is the middle-class, the engine of our economic growth. with hard work, everybody ought to be able to get there and with hard work, everybody ought to be able to stay there. and go beyond. the dream of raising a family in

a place where hard work is rewarded is not unique to americans. it is a human dream. one that calls across oceans and borders. the dream is universal but america makes it possible and our investment and opportunity makes it a reality. in texas, we believe in the rugged individual. taxes may be the one place where people still have bootstraps. we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. but we also recognize that there are some things we cannot do alone. we have to come together and invest in opportunity today for

prosperity tomorrow. it starts with education. 20 years ago, my brother and i left home for college and then for law school. in those classrooms, we met some of the practice folks in the world but at the end of our days there, i cannot help but to think back to my classmates at thomas jefferson high school in san antonio. they have the same talents, the same brains, the same dreams as the folks we sat with at stanford and harvard. i realize the difference was not one of intelligence or drive. the difference was opportunity. in my city of san antonio, we get that. so we are working to ensure that more four-year olds have access to pre k.

we opened cafe college where students get help with everything from college test prep to financial aid paperwork. we know that you cannot be pro- business unless you're pro education. we know that pre k and student loans are not charity. they are a smart investment in a workforce that can fill and create the jobs of tomorrow. we are investing in young minds today to be competitive in the global economy tomorrow. and it is paying off. last year the milken institute ranked us at the top local economy and we are only getting started. opportunity today, prosperity tomorrow like many of you, i

watched last week's republican convention. and they told a few stories of individual success. we all celebrate individual success. but the question is -- how we multiplied that success? the answer is president barack obama. mitt romney does not get it. a few months ago, he visited the university in ohio and gave students a little entrepreneurial advice. start a business, he said, but how? borrow money if you have to from their parents. gee, why didn't i think of that?

[laughter] [applause] some people are lucky enough to borrow money from their parents. but that should not determine whether you can pursue your dreams. not in america. not in the 21st century. i do not think governor romney meant any harm. i think he is a good guy. he just has no idea how good he has had it. we know that in our free market economy, some will prosper more than others. what we do not accept is the idea that some folks will not even get a chance. and the thing is, mitt romney and the republican party are perfectly comfortable with that america. in fact, that is exactly what they are promising us. the mitt romney paul ryan budget is not as cut public education, cut medicare, cut transportation and job training. it does not just pummel the

middle class, it dismantles it. it dismantles what generations before had built to ensure that everybody can enter and stay in the middle class. when it comes to get in the middle class back to work, mitt romney says no. when it comes to respecting women's rights, mitt romney says no. when it comes to letting people love love and marry who they want to mary, mitt romney says no. when it comes to expanding access to good health care, mitt romney says -- crowd: no! >> actually -- actually, mitt romney said yes and now he says no. governor romney has undergone an

extreme makeover. and it ain't pretty. so here is what we are going to say to mitt romney in november -- we are going to say no. of all the stories we heard last week in tampa, the one i find most troubling is this -- if we always go our own way, our nation will be stronger for it. because if we sever the threads that connect us, the only people who will go far are those who are already ahead. we all understand that freedom is not free. what mitt romney and paul ryan do not understand is that neither is opportunity. we have to invest in it. republicans tell us that if the most prosperous among us to even better, somehow the rest of us will too.

folks, we have heard that before. first they called the trickle- down. then they called it supply- sider. now it is romney ryan. their theory has been tested. it failed. our economy fails. the middle class paid the price. mitt romney just does not get it. but barack obama gets it. he understands that when we invest in people, we are investing in our shared prosperity. women neglect that responsibility, risk our promise -- when we neglect our responsibility, we risk our promise as a nation. just a few years ago, families that never asked for anything found themselves at risk for losing everything.

the dream my grandmother held, that work would be rewarded in the middle class would be there if not for her than for her children, that dream was being crushed. but then president obama took office and he took action. when detroit with in trouble, president obama saved the auto industry and save a million jobs. seven presidents before him, republicans and democrats try to expand health care to all americans. president obama got it done. he made eight investments to lift our nation's public schools and expand pell grants so more young people can afford college. because he knows we do not have an out the talent to waste, the president took action to lift the shadow of deportation for the generation of young, law- abiding immigrants.

now it is time for congress to enshrine in the law the right to pursue dreams in the only place they ever called home -- america. four years ago, america stood on the brink of a depression. despite incredible odds. -- are president took action. now we have seen 4.5 million new jobs. he knows better than anyone that there is more hard work to do. but we are making progress and now we need to make a choice. it is a choice between a country where the middle class pays more so that millionaires can payless? or a country where everybody pays their fair share. so we can reduce the deficit and create the jobs of the future.

a nation that invest more in education? it is a choice between a politician -- who rewards companies that ship american jobs overseas or a leader who bring jobs back home? this is the choice before us. and to me, to my generation and for all the generations to come, of which royce is clear. our choice is a man who was always chosen last -- a man who already is our president -- barack obama. -- a man who has always chose us -- a man who already is our president, barack obama. four more years!

>> in the end, the american dream is not a sprint. or even a marathon. but they really. our families and -- but a relay. our families did not always finish line and the span of one generation. my grandmother never owned a house. she cleaned other people's houses tissue could afford to rent her own but she saw her doctor become the first in our family to graduate from college become theduaghteaughter first in our family to graduate from college. and while she may be proud of me tonight, i have to tell you -- mom, i am even more proud of

you. today, my beautiful wife and i are the proud parents of its three-year old little girloldcarina victoria, named after my grandmother. a couple of mondays ago was our first day of pre-k and as a drop her off, we walked out of the classroom and i found myself whispering to her as was once whispered to me -- may god bless

you. she is still young and her dreams are far off yet. but i hope she will reach them. as it that, i am going to do my part and i know she will do hers. but our responsibility as a nation is to do our part as one community, one united states of america, to ensure opportunity for all of our children. the days we live in are not easy ones. but we have seen days like this before. an america prevailed. with the wisdom of our founders and the values of our families, america prevailed. with the generation got further than the last, america prevailed. and with the opportunity build today for a shared prosperity tomorrow, american will prevail. in a week -- it begins with reelecting barack obama. it begins with you.

it begins now. make god bless you and may god bless the united states of america. thank you. ♪ >> please welcome elaine brye from ohio. >> wow. what is a mom like me doing in a place like this? i am not even a political person but what i am is a military mom. my husband and i are so proud of our five kids. he won each in the army, the navy, the air force, and the

marines -- one each in the army, the navy, the air force, and the marines. our young this is still in high school and we are hoping he will join the coast guard. most preciouss treasures. and i do not know when i am going to get them together again because one of them is always the plane -- deploying the because of dr. biden and the first lady, our lives are a little easier. along with president obama, they have made helping military families a top priority. they have brought together the american people, including thousands of businesses, to become part of a nationwide support network. it is honor and respect in action. and it warmss this mother's heart.

last december, i wrote michelle obama at christmas card. just a mom octomom note to say thank you for caring. the first lady not only read my letter, she invited my husband and i to the white house. it was an amazing experience but what is even more amazing is knowing that our commander in chief and first lady are thinking about families like mine every single day. [applause] so, like i said, i am not a political person but i am a mom. and if someone is there for my family and families like mine, then i will be there for them. [applause]

that is why i am so proud to introduce my fellow mom and our first lady, michelle obama. ♪

>> thank you. thank you so much. crowd: four more years! >> thank you so much. with your help. with your help. let me start -- i want to start by thanking elaine. thank you so much. we are so grateful for your family's service and sacrifice. and we will always have your back. [applause] over the past few years as first lady, i have had the extraordinary privilege of

travelling all across this country and everywhere i have gone and the people i have met and the stories i have heard, i have seen the very best of the american spirit. i have seen it in the incredible-and warmth that people love shown me and my family, especially our girls. i have seen it in a teacher's in a near bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay. i have seen it in people who become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others flying across the country to put a -- put out a fire. driving our to bail out a flooded town. and i have seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families. in wounded warriors to tell me they are not just going to walk again, they are going to run and they are going to run a marathon.

in the young man blinded by a bomb in afghanistan his said simply, i would give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what i have done and what i can still do. every day, the people i meet inspire me. every day they make me proud, every day they remind me how blessed we are to live with that of the greatest nation on earth. serving as their first lady is an honor and privilege. but back of the first came together for years ago, i still have some concerns about this journey we had begun. while i believe deeply in my husband's vision for this country and that was certain he would make an extraordinary president, like any mother, i was worried about what it would mean for our girls. if he got that chance. how would be keep the ground did

under the glare of the national spotlight? how would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends and the only home they had ever known? our life before moving to washington was filled with simple joys. saturdays at soccer games, this at grandma's house, and a day and night for barack and me was either dinner or a movie because as an exhausted mom, i cannot stay awake for both. and the truth is, i loved the life we had build for our growth. -- our girls. and i did not want that to change if he became president. i love to barack a test of the way he was -- i loved barack just the way he was. even back then when he was a senator and presidential senator and presidential